US Concerned About Possible Sale of Russian Migs to Sudan

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

http://allafrica.com/stories/200407260140.html

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BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

QUESTION: Yesterday, you issued a statement; it was the taken question on the MiG sales to Sudan. Today, actually, the foreign ministry issued a statement saying, "Yes, this is a longstanding contract. We're just filling the conditions. It's got nothing to do with the situation." So, now that it's being confirmed for you, what's your reaction?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think there are still a lot of questions that haven't been clarified. I assume that we'll be finding opportunities to hear more from the Russians on that. But our policy view remains the same. We oppose all military transfers to the Sudan. We -- our specific law for ourselves has sanctions against a government that transfers lethal military equipment to a state sponsor of terrorism, so I suppose that's something we'd have to look at were the transfer to take place. But on a policy level, we think it's ill-advised to transfer weapons to the Government of Sudan.

QUESTION: So, are you concerned that these aircraft could be used against Darfuris?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we have been concerned more about the actual aircraft, the helicopter gunships that are in Darfur that have been used against Darfuris. What the status of this MiG-29 sale is, I think, is still rather unclear based on what I've seen and I don't think we have enough clarification from the Russians where they're -- sort of the status of the contract and the prospective delivery.
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