ArmInfo.As I have repeatedly said, the arms market is open to all. Armenian Defense Minister David Tonoyan said this in an interview with Voice of America, commenting on the statement of US National Security Advisor John Bolton on the possibility of selling American weapons to Armenia.
Tonoyan reminded that decisions on the acquisition of weapons are made on the basis of the corresponding price, quality and existing possibilities, if there are no restrictions on supplies from the given country. "I haven't heard yet that the United States delivered arms for direct use, for example, to Armenia or Azerbaijan. I don't remember such cases. Although there have been cases of supplying dual-use production," the defense minister said, adding that there was only a statement yet, and not more.
Meanwhile, to clarify whether the presence of Russian troops on the territory of Armenia does not hinder the development of defense cooperation with the United States, Tonoyan, in particular, said: "It does not interfere, in any format and in any way, since first of all from national interests and security strategies. "
Speaking about the Armenian side sending a humanitarian mission to Syria in response to Russia's call for assistance to the Syrian side, the head of the Armenian defense department said that the decision was based on the calls of both Russia and the Armenian Union of Armenians of Russia community and the people of Syria. "Conditions have ripened and opportunities have been created, since the RA has no independent possibility of deployment. The Russian Federation, in particular, the Ministry of Defense, helps us in this matter. And we are very pleased that we have a similar opportunity, because other countries, in other places where Armenian communities live, did not make such proposals to us or did not extend a helping hand. You know perfectly well the names of those states that are now present in those Syrian territories where our compatriots continue to live and build. Unfortunately, in other Syrian territories where other forces are present, there are no our compatriots, they just left these places. We could not take advantage of this opportunity, and we are grateful to the Russian side for extending a helping hand, " Tonoyan concluded.