Tweet
NEW SCANDAL AROUND MOLDOVAN-ARMENIAN ARMS DEAL
APA
29 Dec 2011 12:25
Baku - APA. A new scandal occurred in Chisinau around the arms
deal with Moldova. According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, secretary of
Moldova's Supreme Security Council Yuriy Rikichinsky was invited
to the parliament on Tuesday to make comment on the letter sent to
acting president Marian Lupu.
Rikichinsky was asked to assist the fulfillment of arms deals. The
question was about the sale of 20-ton missile launchers and appropriate
ammunitions to Armenia.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta said that 40-ton ammunitions have been already
delivered to the purchaser in September and this event caused protest
in Azerbaijan and scandal in Latvia. Commander of the Moldovan National
Army, Chief of General Staff, General Yuriy Dominik, who acknowledged
that the arm deal was fulfilled on order from above, was dismissed. And
the country's leadership denied its awareness of this deal.
Moldovan Defense Ministry said they sold old, unusable ammunitions to
Armenia. Later it became clear that usable ammunitions were shipped to
the transport planes in Merkuleshti airdrome. There were Cobra 9B862,
9B863 control missile systems, Concurs-M anti-tank missiles, Fagot,
Concurs, Shturm-S, Metis missiles among the arms sold to Armenia. The
ammunitions' market price is $5 million. Moldovan defense minister
Vitaly Marinuta acknowledged during the parliamentary hearing that
his country sold arms and military hardware to Armenia in amount of
$3.3 million.
The arms deal was suspended. On February 27, MP from Communist faction
Alexander Petkov demanded explanation from the Supreme Security
Council's secretary. Rikichinsky refused to give explanation and the
lawmakers accused him of acting on order of the president reminding
that he was the chief of the president's security guard.
Expert of Geneva Center for Democratic Control of Armed Forces
Viorel Cibotaru said the scandal rose because Moldovan parliament
was not informed about the arms deal with Armenia and Chisinau
didn't negotiate this issue with Baku. "The route of arms shipment
caused misunderstanding with Latvia, but other issues were within the
framework of international law. Moldova has a right for arms deal,
including the sale arms shown in the list".
APA
29 Dec 2011 12:25
Baku - APA. A new scandal occurred in Chisinau around the arms
deal with Moldova. According to Nezavisimaya Gazeta, secretary of
Moldova's Supreme Security Council Yuriy Rikichinsky was invited
to the parliament on Tuesday to make comment on the letter sent to
acting president Marian Lupu.
Rikichinsky was asked to assist the fulfillment of arms deals. The
question was about the sale of 20-ton missile launchers and appropriate
ammunitions to Armenia.
Nezavisimaya Gazeta said that 40-ton ammunitions have been already
delivered to the purchaser in September and this event caused protest
in Azerbaijan and scandal in Latvia. Commander of the Moldovan National
Army, Chief of General Staff, General Yuriy Dominik, who acknowledged
that the arm deal was fulfilled on order from above, was dismissed. And
the country's leadership denied its awareness of this deal.
Moldovan Defense Ministry said they sold old, unusable ammunitions to
Armenia. Later it became clear that usable ammunitions were shipped to
the transport planes in Merkuleshti airdrome. There were Cobra 9B862,
9B863 control missile systems, Concurs-M anti-tank missiles, Fagot,
Concurs, Shturm-S, Metis missiles among the arms sold to Armenia. The
ammunitions' market price is $5 million. Moldovan defense minister
Vitaly Marinuta acknowledged during the parliamentary hearing that
his country sold arms and military hardware to Armenia in amount of
$3.3 million.
The arms deal was suspended. On February 27, MP from Communist faction
Alexander Petkov demanded explanation from the Supreme Security
Council's secretary. Rikichinsky refused to give explanation and the
lawmakers accused him of acting on order of the president reminding
that he was the chief of the president's security guard.
Expert of Geneva Center for Democratic Control of Armed Forces
Viorel Cibotaru said the scandal rose because Moldovan parliament
was not informed about the arms deal with Armenia and Chisinau
didn't negotiate this issue with Baku. "The route of arms shipment
caused misunderstanding with Latvia, but other issues were within the
framework of international law. Moldova has a right for arms deal,
including the sale arms shown in the list".