Government accelerates conclusion of arms delivery contract

On April 15, the Armenian Government approved a decision on implementation of the provisions of the export loan facility contract on arms delivery signed between the Russian and Armenian Governments.     

Armenian Deputy Defense Minister Ara Nazaryan said that competent bodies will be set up to implement the provisions of the contract (dated 2015) on export of military goods purchased at the expense of the Russian 200 mln USD loan. Several structures of Armenia have been given relevant instructions under Articles 7 and 9 of the specified contract. The Government and the Finance Ministry have been instructed to control Armenia's implementation of its commitments. At the same time, the defense minister will be instructed to specify the list of the up-to-date military hardware to be delivered to Armenia, as well as to discuss with Rosoboronexport and to sign the delivery conditions related to the volumes, dates and prices.  The Central Bank of Armenia is to carry out relevant activities with Vnesheconombank of Russia to sign an agreement on technical order of bookkeeping and to inform the Armenian Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Defense of the signing of the agreement. 

To note, Armenia is going to buy Russian weapons at the expense of the Russian 200 mln USD preferential loan under the agreement signed on 26 June 2016. Following the recent aggression of Azerbaijan in the Karabakh conflict zone, Armenian Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan offered his Russian counterpart to accelerate the conclusion of the arms delivery contract.