Armenia acquires weapons from CSTO member states with affordable prices: deputy FM

Armenia’s deputy foreign minister Shavarsh Kocharyan speaking at the NA today said that according to the contract with the CSTO the member states have an opportunity to acquire weapon from the member states with more affordable prices than the third states.

“It works for Armenia,” the deputy minister said, asked by PAP lawmaker Mikayel Melkumyan about possibility to put some restrictions on selling weapon by the CSTO member states to third countries.

The PAP lawmaker meant sale of weaponry to Azerbaijan by Belarus and Russia.

“We saw what happened in April 2016. God forbid, is such situation repeats. Which is the official position, are steps being undertaken to put any restrictions?” Melkumyan asked the deputy foreign minister.

Kocharyan said the initiative will face serious impediments.

“There is a contract provision which gives the CSTO member state an opportunity to acquire the same weapon at more affordable price and it is being applied in case of Armenia. We have such provision with Russia and in relations with the CSTO. What we acquire is incomparable with the prices with which Russia sells them to third countries,” Kocharyan added.