February 11, 2005
Moscow News
Russian officials called U.S. fears that Moscow’s plans to sell weapons to Venezuela could be used by leftist rebels “unfounded.”
“Moscow has been puzzled by the State Department spokesman’s concerns,” the Interfax news agency quoted an unnamed Foreign Ministry official as saying.
Russian officials on Friday rejected U.S. objections to Moscow’s plans to sell automatic rifles and helicopters to Venezuela, dismissing as “unfounded” concerns that the weapons could be used by leftist rebels.
According to Reuters, U.S. State Department spokesman Lou Fintor said on Thursday that Washington was concerned that 100,000 Kalashnikov guns and a number of helicopters due to be sold to the Latin American state could fall into the hands of leftist guerrillas in the region.
“U.S. protests should be viewed as nothing but a dishonest form of competition and an attempt to squeeze Russian producers from the arms market,” Interfax quoted a senior official in the Russian military-industrial complex as saying.
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, was quoted by Reuters as saying, “Our bilateral cooperation does not violate laws and obligations. There is nothing to comment on.”
The Russian Foreign Ministry official said the armed forces of the South American OPEC member had weapons supplied by the United States and other NATO countries.
“No one seems to be raising questions about the legality of those arms sales,” he said. “Concerns that specifically Russian weapons could end up in terrorists’ hands look unfounded and, one may say, biased.”
Apart from the purchase of Kalashnikov guns and helicopters under an arms pact announced last year by Venezuela’s President Hugo Chavez, Venezuela is also evaluating Russian MiG-29 fighters as possible replacements for its F-16s.
U.S. administration officials have suggested the new rifles could allow Chavez, who has strained relations with Washington, to export small arms to rebel movements, including guerrilla groups in neighbouring Colombia.
http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/02/11/chavez.shtml