Heritage Party: Joint Air Defense with Russia is an attempt to surrender the last elements of Armenia's sovereignty

. Heritage Party has come out with a statement, as Parliament of Armenia is going to ratify the agreement of the Joint Air Defense system with Russia in the Caucasian Region of Collective Security.  

The Heritage Party alarms that under the agreement, Armenia's air defense will be managed by Russia.  "Actually, in the time of war or peace, the security issues of Armenia and Artsakh will be depending on Russia's decision. It is an attempt to surrender the last elements of Armenia's sovereignty to a foreign country, specifically, to the country that sold advanced offensive weapons for more than 5 billion dollars to Azerbaijan. Those weapons were used by Azerbaijan in its large-scale aggression against Nagorno Karabakh causing casualties to the Armenian side," the Heritage Party's statement reads.  The Party recalled that the arms supply to Armenia under US$200 million loan agreement with Russia is being delayed, maid arms supplies to Azerbaijan. 

"The united air defense system of Armenia and Karabakh is capable of neutralizing the prevalence of Azerbaijan and destroying the air force of that country," the Heritage Party says expressing doubts that during Azerbaijan's next aggression, Russia may not let Armenia use its own Air Defense to protect Artsakh, as Russia considers it as part of Azerbaijan. In this light, the Party urges the parliamentarians not to ratify the agreement of Joint Air Defense system with Russia.

The Parliament is looking to ratify the above agreement at its extraordinary meeting on June 27. According to the agreement, in time of peace the Armenian side will have the right to use the system at its own discretion and time of war there will be a joint use of the system.  

To recall, on October 23, 2015, the Russian Government approved the agreement on creation of a joint air defense system with Armenia in the Caucasus region of collective security. The document was submitted for the Russian President's ratification. The Russian President announced the creation of the air defense system in November 2013. On November 11, Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered to sign agreement between Russia and Armenia on creating joint air defense system with Armenia in the Caucasus region of collective security. On December 23, 2015, Armenia's Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan and his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoygu signed an agreement on creation of a joint air defense system with Armenia in the Caucasus region of collective security. Some Armenian military experts think the joint air defense system is already operating, given the presence of the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri, Russian S-300 systems and MiG-29 planes, as well as the joint command system in the North Caucasus.