Armenia offers Russia to build radar base on its soil
Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan has said his country may allow Russia to build a radar station in its territory if Moscow does not reach agreement with Azerbaijan on further lease of its Gabala radar.
``If our territory is of such interest, we are ready to discuss this issue,`` Sargsyan said in an interview with Russia`s Kommersant newspaper. ``I think that there may be even preference, as Armenia is a mountainous country. Coverage could be broader.``
The Azerbaijani government has said it was not opposed to Russia`s running such a facility in arch-foe Armenia, its outpost in the South Caucasus region.
``Naturally, why shouldn`t the Armenian outpost also be a radar outpost?`` asked Ali Hasanov, head of the Presidential Administration`s social and political issues. ``If Russia needs to construct such a facility in the Armenian territory, we will not object to that.``
Russia has been in talks with Azerbaijan to extend the lease of the Soviet-era Gabala facility, which it has operated under a 2002 deal. The current agreement is due to expire in December 2012.
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