Russia to exchange arms for coffee or diamonds
By Ria Novossti
| September 19, 2006
Russian state-of-the-art SU-39 (Photo: Rosonboronexport)
MOSCOW - A new business strategy that targets African countries, Russia plans to trade weapons for coffee or diamonds and establish maintenance centres for Russian-made armaments and equipment, state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Monday.
The enterprise, which is Russia’s sole state intermediary in the sphere of military production exports and imports, said it was seeking as a priority to expand the geography, range and volumes of Russian armaments and equipment supplies to regional markets including Africa.
"In the last few years, positive changes have become evident in Russia’s military and technical co-operation with African states," a Rosoboronexport spokesman said.
The Soviet Union supplied arms to many African countries in the ideological standoff with the West, and Russia has been seeking to re-establish contacts under President Vladimir Putin.
Rosoboronexport announced it had signed deals worth US$7,5 billion with Algeria in March.
"The enterprise’s co-operation with traditional importers of Russian weapons — Algeria, Libya, Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda has been boosted," the spokesman said, adding that relations with Morocco, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso were also developing well.
He also said Rosoboronexport was proposing competitive projects on supplies of new armaments and maintenance of old ones.
"The enterprise is ready to use alternative and flexible schemes of settlements," the spokesman said.
"For example, payment through counter deliveries of traditional African export goods — diamonds, lumber, cotton, palm oil and coffee, as well as the reception and implementation of quotas to develop mineral resources and sea-food, establishment of joint enterprises in the fishing industry, mining and oil industries, and clearing minefields."
ETHIOMEDIA.COM - ETHIOPIA'S PREMIER NEWS AND VIEWS WEBSITE
© COPYRIGHT 20001-2006ETHIOMEDIA.COM. EMAIL: webmaster@ethiomedia.com
|
|
| Russian state-of-the-art SU-39 (Photo: Rosonboronexport) |
The enterprise, which is Russia’s sole state intermediary in the sphere of military production exports and imports, said it was seeking as a priority to expand the geography, range and volumes of Russian armaments and equipment supplies to regional markets including Africa.
"In the last few years, positive changes have become evident in Russia’s military and technical co-operation with African states," a Rosoboronexport spokesman said.
The Soviet Union supplied arms to many African countries in the ideological standoff with the West, and Russia has been seeking to re-establish contacts under President Vladimir Putin.
Rosoboronexport announced it had signed deals worth US$7,5 billion with Algeria in March.
"The enterprise’s co-operation with traditional importers of Russian weapons — Algeria, Libya, Angola, Ethiopia and Uganda has been boosted," the spokesman said, adding that relations with Morocco, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique and Burkina Faso were also developing well.
He also said Rosoboronexport was proposing competitive projects on supplies of new armaments and maintenance of old ones.
"The enterprise is ready to use alternative and flexible schemes of settlements," the spokesman said.
"For example, payment through counter deliveries of traditional African export goods — diamonds, lumber, cotton, palm oil and coffee, as well as the reception and implementation of quotas to develop mineral resources and sea-food, establishment of joint enterprises in the fishing industry, mining and oil industries, and clearing minefields."
ETHIOMEDIA.COM - ETHIOPIA'S PREMIER NEWS AND VIEWS WEBSITE
© COPYRIGHT 20001-2006ETHIOMEDIA.COM. EMAIL: webmaster@ethiomedia.com
