YEREVAN, JULY 30, ARMENPRESS: The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan calls on Azerbaijan to “gain intelligence” and not to give way to the arms race. During the meeting with journalists after the session of the Government, Kocharyan, touching upon the statement of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan, which accused Armenia of the arms race, mentioning the fact of getting $200 million loan from the Russian Federation, stated that in fact the Armenian side has always aimed at maintaining the arms balance.

To the question of the journalist may this step of Armenia become a reason for Azerbaijan to purchase new arms, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan stated: “Azerbaijan can always purchase arms from any market. Finally we should understand that Azerbaijan gets this opportunity from the air and speaking more precisely, with the oil dollars coming out from the ground. Azerbaijan has not found a more reasonable way than entering an arms race, which is not prospective. After all, today’s ratio is more favorable for the Armenian side, in contrast to the early 90s, when every time Azerbaijan tried to attack and carried more defeats. From this point of view, Azerbaijan should “gain intelligence”.