Armenia Rejects Israeli Proposal on Arms Purchase - Defense Minister

Armenia has rejected Israel's offer to purchase its arms, First Deputy Defense Minister Davit Tonoyan said Monday.

YEREVAN (Sputnik) — According to Tonoyan, arms procurement market is open to Armenia, but there are some political restrictions due to the reluctance of the EU countries and the United States to promote the growth of military capabilities in the Karabakh conflict zone.

"Israel has offered us arms similar to those sold to Azerbaijan. We refused because we deem it unnecessary," the minister said in an interview with the Azatutyun radio.

Earlier in April, Armenia’s defense ministry claimed that Azerbaijan's army was using the Harop drone produced by Israel.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have been engaged in a dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh since 1988, when the Armenian-dominated autonomous region left the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic and proclaimed independence after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. This move triggered a war that lasted until a Russia-brokered ceasefire was signed in 1994.

The violence in Nagorno-Karabakh escalated on April 2. Baku and Yerevan have accused each other of provoking hostilities.

Following five days of clashes that led to fatal casualties on both sides, the ceasefire was implemented.