Armenia determined to modernize its armed forces- minister

YEREVAN, August 24. /ARKA/. Armenian Defense Minister Arshak Karapetyan, who is taking part in the Army-2021 International Military-Technical forum in Russia, said Armenia enjoys the full support of Russia and will take practical steps to deepen cooperation with it.

Speaking to reporters Karapetyan said that Armenia plans to have new high-quality weapons. According to him, the Armenian Ministry of Defense refused to buy old weapons. ‘It is better to have fewer weapons, but of high quality,’ he said.

"The second task is that we must try to establish our own weapons production. And here we also have support in the form of opening joint ventures, which we will quickly implement. We, as a nation, must be able to produce our own weapons," he said.

The minister said also that elimination of intermediaries between the Ministry of Defense and manufacturers of weapons as the third important task.

"I believe that if these three conditions are met, we will definitely get a new modernized army of the 21st century and will be able to withstand the threats we face," he said.

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan announced in parliament the upcoming changes in the army, in particular, noting the importance of its technological modernization, introduction of automated control and others. - 0--