KYIV. June 17 (Interfax-AVN) - Ukrainian Defense Minister Volodymyr Shkidchenko met with his Ethiopian counterpart Abadula Gemeda in Kyiv on Tuesday, the press service of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told Interfax-Military News Agency.
"The meeting of the Ukrainian and Ethiopian defense ministers took place on Tuesday. An eye-to-eye conversation was followed by talks of official delegations of the two countries, where the parties discussed the state and prospects of bilateral cooperation between the two countries' defense ministries," the press service said.
According to it, the agenda of Gemeda's visit includes a meeting with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Anatoliy Zlenko.
While staying in Ukraine, the Ethiopian military delegation will visit the Ukrspetsexport state-owned arms trading company, Ukrainian National Defense Academy, officer training courses for multinational staffs and the 169th training center of the Land Forces' Northern operational command.
Ethiopia and Ukraine have common interests in military- technical cooperation. In 2000, the Ethiopian Defense Ministry procured from Ukraine three Kolchuga passive radar intelligence stations made by the Donetsk-based Topaz production association. In addition, Kyiv believes that Ethiopia is a future customer of Ukrainian armored vehicles.