Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said that he does not rule out purchasing weapons from the US, following a visit to Armenia by US President’s National Security Adviser John Bolton. “”The government is not limited to anything. If we get a favorable offer from the United States, we will discuss it,”” he said on Saturday.
Visiting Yerevan as part of his regional tour, Bolton declared that Washington is ready to sell weapons to Armenia in order to reduce Russia’s influence.
Bolton said that the visit provided a good opportunity to highlight and prioritize the strategic importance of the US-Armenia agenda, and discuss the possibilities of developing an active economic dialogue to increase direct investments in Armenia from the US.
Due to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the US Congress banned the sale of US arms to Armenia and Azerbaijan. The U.S. Congress adopted section 907 of the Freedom Support Act in 1992 in response to Azerbaijan’s blockade of Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. “United States Assistance under this or any other act may not be provided to the government of Azerbaijan until the President determines, and so reports to Congress, that the government of Azerbaijan is taking demonstrable steps to cease all blockades and other offensive uses of force against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” states Section 907.
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