Russia to help Armenia re-equip army

By Elena Teslova

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu said Wednesday that Russia will help re-equip and modernize the Armenian armed forces.

Shoygu praised Armenia as "Russia's ally and a key partner in the Caucasus region" and promised further support to the country as he greeted his Armenian counterpart, Arshak Karapetyan, at a meeting in Moscow.

"We attach great importance to the development of our cooperation in the military field both in the bilateral format and within the framework of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]. At the same time, we are ready to continue to assist in the implementation of the program for the reform and re-equipment of the Armenian Armed Forces. The task is not easy, but I think that with your experience you can handle it," he said.

Karapetyan expressed gratitude to Shoygu for his readiness to help restore the combat capabilities of his armed forces.

He stressed that his first international visit as defense minister is to Russia.

"Russia is the only state that provides really tangible security for the Armenian people and today deals with security issues not only in Nagorno-Karabakh but also directly on the borders of Armenia. We are ready for very close and effective cooperation," he said.