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Armenia accelerates its arms purchases from Russia

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arton124898-480x270Two weeks after the sudden escalation of the Nagorno-Karabakh, the Armenian government accelerated Friday the purchase of new weapons made in Russia, with the Russian loan of $ 200 million granted last year.

Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan instructed the Defense Ministry to “determine” the list of weapons and negotiate corresponding supply contracts with Russian government agencies. He said that contracts should specify “the volumes, prices and delivery dates.”

The government has also asked the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) to rapidly accelerate banking needed to use the loan to $ 200 million allocated by the Russian government in June.

After meeting with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev Russian in Yerevan on April 7 Abrahamian complained of a “slowdown” in the implementation of the loan agreement with Rosoboronexport, a state arms exporter Russia. He asked Medvedev to ask of Rosoboronexport “concluded contracts” with Armenia.

The demand came two days after a cease-fire with Russian mediation, interrupted the worst fighting between Armenian forces and Azerbaijani forces in Karabakh since 1994. Many in Armenia believe that the offense Azerbaijan from April 2 to Karabakh was made possible because of the Russian offensive weapons purchased by Baku.

There are nearly two months, the Russian government revealed the list of military equipment that Yerevan would be allowed to buy with credit of $ 200 million. The most deadly of these weapons is the multi-shot system Smerch launch, which has a firing range of up to 90 kilometers.

The list also includes the TOS-1A (heavy flamethrower systems).

Russia has sold 18 Smerch launchers and flamethrowers as TOS-1A to Azerbaijan. The Armenian military says the Azerbaijani army has used both systems during the hostilities of April 2 to 5 on the contact line of Karabakh.

Armenia would also be able to buy weapons from Russian anti-tank fabrication, surface to air missiles fired from the shoulder, demining equipment, armored vehicles and heavy military trucks.

Monday, April 18, 2016,
Claire © armenews.com

Turkey Leveraging Major Arms Purchase Against Genocide Recognition

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A Chinese HQ-9 launcher (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

A Chinese HQ-9 launcher (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

ANKARA (EurasiaNet.org)—Turkey is reportedly linking its purchase of a multi billion-dollar air-defense system to whether the bidder countries recognize the Armenian genocide.

That news, reported by a number of Turkish media, is the latest unexpected turn in the multi-year saga over the arms deal. The original bidders for the deal were companies representing the United States, Europe, China, and Russia, giving the program the air of a geopolitical litmus test. When Turkey announced that it planned to give the Chinese company the contract, it faced a barrage of pressure from its NATO allies who were concerned that linking that system with NATO air defense equipment already in Turkey could expose NATO secrets to China.

All along, Turkey has denied that there was any political subtext to its decision, saying that its choice of China was related solely to questions of price and the fact that China would hand over more of the technology to Turkey. Now, though, that appears to have changed. With the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide approaching in April, Ankara is reportedly waiting to see how the various bidders mark that event.

“Rumors in political circles in Ankara said that no decision will be made over the missile defense system winner before [April 24] since Turkey wants to first see France and the U.S.’s position on the 1915 incidents,” reported the pro-government Daily Sabah. “An agreement may be made with China if the U.S. and French administrations take a ‘pro-Armenian’ stance.”

Hurriyet Daily News has reported the same thing:

“’We have agreed with the government leaders not to rush to a decision any time soon,’ one defense procurement official said. ‘A decision before April 24 is out of the question.’

“A senior diplomat confirmed that Ankara first wants to see the U.S. and French positions on the ‘genocide claims’ before awarding a sizeable contract ‘to a bidder potentially from one of these countries.’

“’How these countries observe the centennial of the events [of 1915-1920] will be an important input for our final decision,’ he said.”

And a “top government official for defense and security issues” told newspaper Defense News last month: “One imminent political deliberation is whether the US Congress will recognize the alleged Armenian genocide in April. We will wait Congress’ move before making a decision on the contract.”

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense has said that whichever system it buys will not be linked to NATO’s. That would seem to open the door for buying the Chinese equipment. But it also has extended the deadline for the Chinese, American, and European bidders until the summer — as Defense News notes, the sixth time it has made such an extension.

It’s not clear whether official recognition of the Armenian genocide has any more chance to get through Congress this year than it has before. But arguments like Ankara’s have held sway in the past: in 2010, a coalition of American defense contractors wrote a letter to Congress arguing against genocide recognition: “Alienating a significant NATO ally and trading partner would have negative repercussions for U.S. geopolitical interests and efforts to boost both exports and employments.”

But the U.S. bid was relatively unlikely to win; the second-place offer, after China’s, was that of Eurosam, based in France, a country which not only recognized the genocide but even criminalized genocide denial.

Source: Asbarez

Turkey Linking Major Arms Purchase To Armenian Genocide Recognition

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by Joshua Kucera,

Turkey's Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz speaks during a debate, photo by REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Turkey’s Defence Minister Ismet Yilmaz speaks during a debate, photo by REUTERS/Umit Bektas

Turkey is reportedly linking its purchase a multi billion-dollar air-defense system to whether the bidder countries recognize the Armenian genocide.

That news, reported by a number of Turkish media, is the latest unexpected turn in the multi-year saga over the arms deal. The original bidders for the deal were companies representing the United States, Europe, China, and Russia, giving the program the air of a geopolitical litmus test. When Turkey announced that it planned to give the Chinese company the contract, it faced a barrage of pressure from its NATO allies who were concerned that linking that system with NATO air defense equipment already in Turkey could expose NATO secrets to China.

All along, Turkey has denied that there was any political subtext to its decision, saying that its choice of China was related solely to questions of price and the fact that China would hand over more of the technology to Turkey. Now, though, that appears to have changed. With the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide approaching in April, Ankara is reportedly waiting to see how the various bidders mark that event.

“Rumors in political circles in Ankara said that no decision will be made over the missile defense system winner before [April 24] since Turkey wants to first see France and the U.S.’s position on the 1915 incidents,” reported the pro-government Daily Sabah. “An agreement may be made with China if the U.S. and French administrations take a ‘pro-Armenian’ stance.”

Hurriyet Daily News has reported the same thing:

“We have agreed with the government leaders not to rush to a decision any time soon,” one defense procurement official said. “A decision before April 24 is out of the question.”

A senior diplomat confirmed that Ankara first wants to see the U.S. and French positions on the “genocide claims” before awarding a sizeable contract “to a bidder potentially from one of these countries.” report eurasianet

“How these countries observe the centennial of the events [of 1915-1920] will be an important input for our final decision,” he said.

And a “top government official for defense and security issues” told newspaper Defense News last month: “One imminent political deliberation is whether the US Congress will recognize the alleged Armenian genocide in April. We will wait Congress’ move before making a decision on the contract.”

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense has said that whichever system it buys will not be linked to NATO’s. That would seem to open the door for buying the Chinese equipment. But it also has extended the deadline for the Chinese, American, and European bidders until the summer — as Defense News notes, the sixth time it has made such an extension.

It’s not clear whether official recognition of the Armenian genocide has any more chance to get through Congress this year than it has before. But arguments like Ankara’s have held sway in the past: in 2010, a coalition of American defense contractors wrote a letter to Congress arguing against genocide recognition: “Alienating a significant NATO ally and trading partner would have negative repercussions for U.S. geopolitical interests and efforts to boost both exports and employments.”

But the U.S. bid was relatively unlikely to win; the second-place offer, after China’s, was that of Eurosam, based in France, a country which not only recognized the genocide but even criminalized genocide denial.