Armenian-Russian Military Cooperation Discussed in Yerevan

YEREVAN — High-ranking Russian and Armenian military officials have concluded another round of negotiations aimed at deepening the already close defense ties between their countries.

Colonel-General Sergei Istrakov, the deputy chief of the Russian military’s General Staff, presented the results of the four-day “staff negotiations” to Armenia’s top army general, Artak Davtyan, in Yerevan on Saturday.

The Armenian Defense Ministry said Istrakov, Davtyan and other officers present at the meeting discussed “further directions of Russian-Armenian military cooperation.” It said the two sides also signed “memorandum of cooperation.”

The ministry reported no details of agreements reached during the talks.

Istrakov also met with Davtyan and Defense Minister Vagharshak Harutyunyan earlier in the week.

A Russian military delegation headed by Istrakov already held weeklong “staff negotiations” with the Armenian army’s top brass in January. Harutyunyan said afterwards the talks were aimed at “assisting us in the reform and modernization of Armenia’s armed forces.”

Harutyunyan and the chief of the Russian General Staff, General Valery Gerasimov, discussed what the Armenian Defense Ministry described as ongoing “large-scale reforms” of Armenia’s armed forces in a July 8 phone call.

They also spoke about the upcoming round of Russian-Armenian defense talks which the ministry said will focus on “bilateral programs and actions aimed at deepening Russian-Armenian military cooperation.”