Armenia lauds Russian-Armenian military cooperation

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
April 3, 2004 Saturday 7:20 AM Eastern Time

Armenia lauds Russian-Armenian military cooperation

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

Armenia considers the Russian-Armenian military cooperation to be
“part of the country’s national security and believes that the
presence of the Russian military base in the Armenian territory is
right and essential for Armenia,> said Armenian Defence Minister and
National Security Council Secretary Serzh Sarkisyan who received a
group of Russian journalists on Saturday.

He explained that Russia’s military presence promoted stability in
the region.

Armenia is interested in military cooperation with Russia because its
armed forces are armed with the Soviet or Russian weapons, Sarkisyan
told Russian journalists.

He said Armenia purchased spare parts for military hardware in Russia
and added that many problems in this area had been solved as a result
of favourable conditions created for Armenia within the framework of
the Collective Security Treaty Organisation.

Armenian officers receive training in Russia free of charge. The
defence minister said 700 Armenian citizens studied in Russian
military schools and academies.