Ethiopia interested in closer military and technical cooperation with Russia - ambassador

MOSCOW, May 28. /TASS/. Ethiopia counts on closer cooperation with Russia in the defense sphere, Ethiopia’s new Ambassador to Moscow Grum Abay Teshome said in an exclusive interview with TASS on Thursday after handing over credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin. "A joint commission for military and technical cooperation has been established and meetings are held annually, alternatively in each of the capitals," the ambassador said in his first interview to the Russian media. "The latest meeting of the commission took place in July 2014. At this meeting, the parties identified areas for cooperation and signed a protocol, pursuant to which interaction in this sphere will be controlled. I hope this interaction will strengthen in the future," the Ethiopian ambassador said. Both countries continue discussing plans for the construction of a center in Ethiopia for the maintenance of Russian machinery and equipment, the ambassador said. "The discussion is still continuing and I hope for its positive completion," the Ethiopian diplomat said. "The establishment of this center is very important for us, especially from the viewpoint of technology transfer. This center could be used not only by Ethiopia but also by other countries in the region," he said. An exchange of experience is another area of cooperation in the defense sphere, the head of Ethiopia’s diplomatic mission in Moscow said. "This issue was at the center of attention during a recent visit by an Ethiopian delegation, which held talks with the Defense Ministry of Russia and representatives of Rosoboronexport [Russian state arms exporter]," the diplomat said. When asked about the prospect of buying specific types of military hardware from Russia, the Ethiopian ambassador said he had no information about such plans. ‘The countries systematically assess existing and potential threats to their national security and Ethiopia is no exception. Today we’re dealing with the development of our own defense and industrial capacities," the Ethiopian ambassador to Russia said. "That is why, the Defense Ministry of Ethiopia will decide after corresponding estimates on the types of armaments that may be required and on whether they will be purchased in Russia or other countries," he said. Read more