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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: Question is as follows: In light of US intentions to cooperate with Russia in the Caspian Region, how does the United States view recent Russian plans to delivery S-300 missiles, similar to those missiles used by Iraq, as well as offensive weapons such as MIG-29 fighter jets, to Armenia in addition to the well known fact that $1 billion worth of arms are illegally transferred to Armenia from Russia previously?

MR. FOLEY: Well, we've seen the press reports -- they date back, I think, about ten days -- according to which Russian Major General Grigoryev, who is in charge of the Russian Defense Ministry's Department for Cooperation with CIS member states, announced that Russia would send S-300 surface-to-air missiles to a Russian military base in Armenia to replace older surface-to-air systems. Of course, Russia and Armenia have a mutually-ratified basing agreement. Stationing of Russian troops and equipment in Armenia is therefore a bilateral issue between those two nations.

As far as the United States is concerned, however, we see no military need for stationing such equipment in Armenia. We believe that if such equipment were to be placed in Armenia, it would do nothing to improve the security situation in the region.

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(The briefing concluded at 2:00 P.M.)

[end of document]