Friday, September 8 2017 11:43

ArmInfo. The agreements between Yerevan and Moscow allow the Armenian side to buy latest Russian weapons on the most competitive terms, but a number of types  of Chinese weapons can also be interesting to the Armenian side.

As the "Armenia" TV channel broadcasts, a similar point of view was  expressed by Armenian Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan who is in China  on an official visit.

"We have our main ally (Russia - Ed.), which today is one of the  largest arms suppliers in the world, with which there are  understandings that allow us to acquire the most advanced weapons in  the most competitive conditions," the head of the Armenian Defense  Ministry said. He added that if there are other opportunities outside  these agreements that will interest the Armenian side, including  those related to the Chinese arms suppliers, a dialogue will be  conducted.

At the same time, Sargsyan stressed that 10 million yuan (about $  1,522,400) will be acquired for weapons of non-lethal action, as  these are the rules of international military assistance. "In order  to organize military affairs, we need funds, starting with  observation devices and ending with communication facilities, with  numerous auxiliary devices." Without revealing the details, I will  use this to comply with the adopted rules," the minister said.  At  the same time, he added that following the results of the meetings in  the NKR, he can say that Beijing will be consistent in its position  on the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. "This approach, as you know, has  been balanced over the years - priority is given to the mediation  activities of the OSCE Minsk Group," Sargsyan said.

He also noted that China's interest in the region is increasing, the  country's government announced its intention to build a new Silk  Road: "Any integration structure, or similar program, always carries  the task of ensuring security. Therefore, China's interest is  commensurate and clear, it will be linked to ensuring the security of  the "Economic belt of the Silk Road," the minister concluded.

To remind, according to the Armenian-Russian agreement on granting  Armenia a 200-million loan, for this amount the Armed Forces of the  republic purchased multiple rocket launchers 9K58 Smerch, IGLA SAM,  passive electronic intelligence complex Avtobaza-M, fire-fighting  systems TOS-1A "Solntsepek", armored vehicles "Tiger", anti-tank  missile systems "Contest-M", antitank grenade launchers RPG-26, small  arms, engines and sights for T-72 and BMP tanks, communications  equipment, engineering equipment, Kamaz ".  The agreement on granting  credit on preferential terms - to repay a loan with a 3% rate Yerevan  will start only in 2018 in rubles for 10 years, and an advance  payment of only 10% was concluded in 2015. Thus, taking into account  the continuing devaluation of the Russian currency, as well as the  republic's membership in the CSTO, which allows buying weapons at  domestic prices, for $ 200 million, Armenia can acquire an unlimited  amount of Russian arms.