(S) GOAM'S FOLLOW-UP RESPONSE ON SA-10 MISSILES

S E C R E T YEREVAN 000793

NOFORN
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: ETRD ETTC MARR MCAP PARM PREL AM
SUBJECT: (S) GOAM'S FOLLOW-UP RESPONSE ON SA-10 MISSILES

REF: A. YEREVAN 769

B. STATE 107312

Classified By: CDA Joseph Pennington, for reasons 1.4 (b,d).



1. (S/NF) Following up on the demarche Ambassador Yovanovitch
delivered to Defense Minister Ohanian (ref A),the Defense
Attache on November 13 met with Colonel Davit Tonoyan, Chief
of the Defense Policy Department at the Ministry of Defense,
for more clarification on the SA-10 missiles delivered to
Armenia.


2. (S/NF) Colonel Tonoyan assured the DATT that the Ministry
of Defense understands Washington's concerns surrounding the
missiles in question, which he referred to as "S-300"
missiles. (Note: Tonoyan is aware of the Joint Action Plan
and has been the key MoD interlocutor on amending Armenia's
Munitions List-related laws. End Note.)


3. (S/NF) Tonoyan stated that the missiles are intended only
for use by Armenia's Armed Forces, and nothing else. He
emphasized that Armenia has no intention to transfer or
re-export the missiles to any other nation or entity.


4. (S/NF) Tonoyan confirmed that Armenia acquired the
missiles for its Air Defense Forces, and that the missiles
were transported to Armenia from Russia. He stressed that
Armenian assets--not Russian-- were used for the delivery of
the missiles to Armenia.


5. (S/NF) Tonoyan insisted that the missiles are purely
defensive in nature, and Armenia's reason for acquiring them
was in response to Azerbaijan's purchase of offensive
military aircraft.


6. (S/NF) Tonoyan assured the DATT that had Armenia planned
to re-export the missiles, the Ministry of Defense and the
Armenian government would have followed all of the
appropriate procedures recently established in their new
export control system, and that Armenia would have abided by
all of its international agreements, including United Nations
embargos and prohibitions. Tonoyan noted that in addition,
Armenia would have consulted the United States prior to the
transfer or re-export, as agreed in the Joint Action Plan.


7. (S/NF) Tonoyan said that the missiles have been
inventoried and secured by the Ministry of Defense. They are
being stored at a local weapons storage depot, and security
protections have been established in accordance with
appropriate MoD physical security regulations for such types
of weapons systems/munitions.
PENNINGTON