YEREVAN (Sputnik) — The Armenian Defense Ministry expressed contentment with cooperation with Russia as its strategic partner in the military and industrial sphere, the country’s Defense Minister Vigen Sargsyan told Sputnik on Wednesday.
"Russia is a strategic ally. This is the way we regard cooperation with Russia," Sargsyan said. "The current level of the relations is very high."
Apart from this, the high-level visits are carried out regularly, he said.
Sargsyan noted that he was glad to welcome Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Yerevan as part of his participation in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) summit in August 2016 as well as to have visited Russia in November 2016. Besides, Armenia received the Russian delegation headed by Deputy Minister of Defense Ruslan Tsalikov during the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Armenian army formation in January.
"In my point of view the more visits the better, because our cooperation is aimed at the comprehensive examination of the system of challenges and threats in our region, understanding of mutual interests and formation of the policy of foreign affairs and military and political bloc with regard to these interests," Sargsyan pointed out.
He also expressed readiness for the intensive work aimed at the prompt implementation of the cooperation projects.
The cooperation between the countries is determined by the Treaty on friendship, cooperation and mutual assistance of August 29, 1997, alongside over 250 other interstate, intergovernmental and interdepartmental treaties and agreements.
