Experts: the S-400 Deal Between Russia and Turkey Is Not a Threat for Armenia in General

• 09.14.2017, 13:16
•  Region,  World,  Armenia,  Interview

militaryarms.ru

On September 12, Moscow and Ankara have signed an agreement to supply Russian S-400 anti-aircraft weapons to Turkey. Ankara has already paid the first installment on the contract. Orientalist Ruben Safrastyan does not consider the date choice to be an accident.

"In New York the regular session of the UN General Assembly launches, within which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will meet the US President Donald Trump. With the help of this deal, Erdogan can put pressure on Trump," the expert noted in an interview with “Armedia” IAA, adding that depending on future agreements with the United States, it is possible that Ankara may refuse this deal.

Expert Stepan Safaryan, in his turn, in a talk with “Armedia” IAA, said that the deal is a part of Russia's security policy, aimed at reducing the factor of the Western influence in Turkey's foreign policy. At the same time, the expert also does not exclude that the deal will have a logical end, as Erdogan can hardly change the course of the Turkish state, and at some point he will refuse the deal.

As for the impact of this deal on Armenia, experts believe that in general it does not pose a threat to our country.

"The deal is a threat to Armenia, as it concerns a country that has a hostile policy towards Armenia, which has joined the policy of the blockade of Azerbaijan, which is more militarized and carries out its own military operations," Stepan Safaryan noted. In his turn, Ruben Safrastyan stressed that Russia is selling these weapons to a member of its enemy NATO, reminding that that the weapon is of a protective nature.

It should be noted that the details of the agreement are not given due to the "specificity and sensitivity of the topic." "The main right to comment the contract belongs to the customer. At the same time, it should be emphasized that the delivery of this system to Turkey meets the geopolitical interests of the Russian Federation," the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation noted in this regard.

Earlier, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Ankara made the first payment for the C-400 systems, adding that he and Russian President Vladimir Putin are determined on this issue. Turkey first announced its intention to purchase Russian S-400 systems in the fall of 2016.

According to Bloomberg, Russia will supply Turkey four S-400 divisions for a total of $ 2.5 billion. Turkey will buy two divisions in a ready form and two more they will collect themselves. Analysts say that the contract with Turkey can be implemented within two years.