NOT ONLY STATE BUDGET COVERS EXPENSES FOR MILITARY TRAINING OF ARMENIAN SOLDIERS

PanARMENIAN.Net - Budget financing of the Armenian Armed Forces for 2003 has exceeded the last year figures by 5%. Armenian defense minister Serge Sarkisian has stated that. According to him, there is no defense minister who is satisfied with a budget allotment for military needs of a state. At that he noted that the expenses for military training of the Armenian Armed Forces are not covered by funds stipulated in the state budget of the State. "There are other alternative sources of financing. We have partners with who we have agreements on military cooperation and military and technical assistance concluded", he noted. According to the minister, in the nearest future two secret agreements signed during Russian Premier Mikhail Kasyanov's recent visit will be submitted to the state's parliament for ratification. It should be noted that according to the Armenian draft budget, the defense sphere financing will be 45961 billion drams (about $77 million), 41124 billion of which will be for Armenian armed forces needs.