|
U.S. Lawmakers Cut Pentagon Ties with Russian Arms Exporter |
20 July 2012U.S. lawmakers passed on Thursday a bill breaking contracts between the Pentagon and Russian state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport, which they claim is "arming the oppressive Syrian regime,” the House of Representatives said on its web site.
The bill, introduced by Democrat Congressman Jim Moran, was passed by an overwhelming 407-5 vote and was attached to the 2013 U.S. military budget, according to the House of Representatives’ statement.
“It is beyond unacceptable for the United States Government to work with a firm that is arming the oppressive Syrian regime,” Moran said. “The United States does not condone the massacre of innocent men, women and children. Furthering contracts with Rosoboronexport contradicts our nation's commitment to the principles of freedom and democracy.”
The passage of the bill came several hours after Russia and China vetoed for the third time a UN Security Council resolution on Syria authorizing non-military sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad's regime if it fails to withdraw heavy weapons and troops from urban areas within 10 days.
Rosoboronexport declined to comment on the move when contacted by RIA Novosti on Friday.
According to the statement by the U.S. lawmakers, Rosoboronexport has supplied nearly $1 billion in arms to Syria over the last year, including high-explosive mortars, sniper rifles, ammunition and attack helicopters which could have been used by Assad’s forces to kill civilians.
The bill scraps the Russian-U.S. $171-million contract on purchasing ten Mi-17 attack helicopters to be used by Afghan forces after the United States withdraws from Afghanistan in 2014.
“There has never been a competition for supplying rotorcraft for the Afghan National Security Forces. Had there been one, I’m confident American firms would have done exceptionally well,” Moran said.
In mid-June, U.S. Senator John Cornyn called on the Pentagon to take action against Rosoboronexport, but the Pentagon dismissed his claims, saying that dealing with Russia’s arms exporter was the "only legally available method" to supply the helicopters to Afghanistan.
Rosoboronexport was subject to U.S. sanctions from 2006 to 2010 for allegedly providing nations including Iran and Syria with equipment that could be used to develop weapons of mass destruction.
Russia is the biggest supplier of arms to Syria, and maintains its only military base outside the former Soviet Union there. In June, President Vladimir Putin said Russian arms were not being used against pro-democracy protesters fighting to oust Assad, a claim derided as "patently untrue" by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who accused Russia of sending combat helicopters to Syria. |
20 July 2012
ria novosti
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MOST VISITED NEWS (DAILY) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
