France signed commitments to sell precision rifles to Armenia and train Armenian military officers, their defence ministers said Friday. The move comes as Yerevan seeks to reduce its dependence on Moscow.

Armenia signed a contract with French arms manufacturer PGM to buy the guns, its defence minister Suren Papikian told a news conference in Yerevan alongside his French counterpart Sebastien Lecornu.

Armenia has been looking to bolster its defences in recent years as fighting has broken out with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

"Armenia has adopted the idea of modernising the army, we are going to use our own means and the help of partner states," Papikian said.

"It's about being able to use all the tools of peace to defend our borders."

They did not disclose the value of the deal.

The countries also signed an agreement for France to train five Armenian soldiers at its Saint Cyr Coetquidan military academy and offered also to help train non-commissioned officers.

Lecornu confirmed that France would deploy a military adviser specialising in ground-based air defence systems to help Armenia defend itself against "possible strikes by potential aggressors" against civilians.

Armenia "is turning to partners who really provide security," Lecornu said, in response to a question about frayed relations between Yerevan and Moscow - its historic ally.

Lecornu travelled to Yerevan on Thursday evening with members of parliament and defence industry representatives.

• France ups military ties with Armenia with first ever visit by a defence minister

The visit comes amid a growing rift between the Soviet-era master Moscow and Yerevan, which has grown angry with the Kremlin over its perceived inaction on Armenia's long-running confrontation with Azerbaijan.

In October 2023, France announced the sale of defence equipment to Armenia, provoking anger from Azerbaijan.

The deal was announced weeks after Baku seized the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh from Armenian separatists.

France, home to a large Armenian diaspora, has played a mediating role in the decades-long conflict over control of Karabakh, whose recapture by Azerbaijan led to the exodus of some 100,000 Armenians.

(with AFP)