Did Turkish defense company sell equipment to Armenia?

The Armenian police have denied a Turkish newspaper report that they are seeking to buy Turkish-made water cannons and other crowd control equipment.
“Hurriyet” carried a report on Wednesday that the Turkish company ‘Nurol Machinery and Industry” is negotiating with Armenian authorities over the possibility to sell vehicle-mounted water cannons to Armenia.
“Armenia contacted us. Talks have been going on for some time now,” according to Hurriet, the Nurol Machinery’s deputy general manager of marketing, Tanju Torun, said during a demonstration for the firm’s new six-wheeled armored personnel carrier, named “Ejder” (Dragon).
Same day Armenian Police refuted reports, using a strange wording however.  ArmInfo quoted the Head of the Armenian Police Press Service, Lt. Colonel Sayat Shirinyan’s words, calling a “crazy idea” the reports by Azerbaijani APA that Turkish Company ‘Nurol Makina ve Sanayi’ is negotiating with Armenia for purchase and sale of armor used when interfering in public events.
‘It is one of their usual crazy ideas. I assure you that Armenian Police does not need any new water jet cannons’, Head of the Armenian Police Press Service told ArmInfo. He said the given ‘report’ was disseminated in the context of the provocation policy of Armenia’s neighbor in the region.
Looking at the reports I have a strange feeling of being deceived. And I find it strange, that the Armenian police refutes the information by APA, but doesn’t address the Turkish police. Talks about provocation policy of Armenia’s neighbor (which one?), apparently addressing Azerbaijani media, but not the Turkish one. The name of the company also desn’t seem to match, although it might be a problem with translation. At any rate, this is a fishy story. A fishy one indeed.

Artur Papyan

Journalist, blogger, digital security and media consultant