Armenian, Russian armed forces sign cooperation memo

YEREVAN, July 19. /ARKA/. A memorandum of cooperation was signed between the General Staffs of the Armed Forces of Armenia and Russia following the joint staff talks, the press service of the Armenian Defense Ministry reported.

It said the results of the negotiations between the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the Russian Federation were summed up on July 17. The Russian delegation, headed by the Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces, Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov which was in Armenia on a five-day visit, presented the results of the negotiations and outlined further actions.

The Head of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Armenia, Lieutenant General Artak Davtyan thanked the delegation of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation for close cooperation.

Earlier acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said the reforms in the Armed Forces need to be implemented in cooperation with Russian peers. The reforms call, in particular, for shortening military service term, organization of two or three-month courses every five years for young people to learn minimal military skills.

According to the head of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces Artak Davtyan, the reforms envisage changing the organization of the educational process, purchasing advanced military equipment, but there will be no transition to a 100% professional army in the near future. -0-