|
Russia sells military transport choppers to Pak
Russia is selling a dozen Mi-171 military
transport helicopters to Pakistan, the first Russian
defence sale to Islamabad in six years, the Vedemosti
Moscow business daily reported on Tuesday.
Four helicopters, made at a plant in
the Siberian republic of Buryatia, were delivered on
June 14 and another four will be received by Pakistan
by the end of the month, an industry source told the
newspaper.
The total contract, worth $50 million,
is for 12 helicopters, the source added.
In 1996, Islamabad bought a dozen Mi-17
transport choppers from Russia but halted military cooperation
with Moscow because of the close Russian ties with India,
Vedemosti said.
The latest contract generated disagreement
in Russia, with Russia's Industry and Science Minister
Ilya Klebanov opposing it on the grounds that it would
jeopardize Moscow's weapons sales to India, according
to the paper's sources.
New Delhi was one of Moscow's main
strategic allies during Soviet era, and has remained
one of its best arms customers.
But President Vladimir Putin personally
gave his personal seal of approval to the Pakistani
deal, Vedemosti said.
Moscow, June 25, 2002 (AFP)
|
