The Russian Ministry of Defense is ready to assist in the modernization and reformation of the Armenian armed forces, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said at a meeting with Armenian Minister of Defense Arshak Karapetyan in Moscow, TASS reports.
“We attach great importance to the development of our cooperation in the military field, both in the bilateral format and within the CSTO. At the same time, we are ready to continue to assist in the implementation of reforms in the Armed Forces of Armenia. This is not an easy task, but I think that with your experience it will be up to the task,” said Shoigu.
He noted that the 102nd Russian military base located on the territory of the republic is well equipped and is a guarantor of security.
“Armenia is an ally and a key partner of Russia in ensuring security in the South Caucasus, and we are extremely interested in maintaining stability in this region,” the Minister added.
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Shoigu congratulated Karapetyan on his appointment to the post, noting that it took place “in a difficult time when there are difficult tasks of reforming the country’s defense sector.”
Karapetyan, in turn, expressed gratitude to Shoigu for his willingness to help restore the combat capability of the Armenian Armed Forces, equip and train troops.
He stressed that he is paying the first visit in the capacity of the Defense Minister to Russia, a strategic ally of Armenia.
“Russia is the only state that provides a really tangible product of security for the Armenian people and today deals with security issues not only in Nagorno-Karabakh, but also directly on the borders of Armenia,” Karapetyan said. “We are ready for very close and effective cooperation.”
