US tried to scuttle Russia's Sukhoi deal with India
A top Russian official has disclosed that the US had tried and virtually succeeded in sabotaging the $ 1.8 billion deal for the sale of 40 Su-30 fighter planes to
India.
The sensational disclosure was made by Igor Korotchenko, the director-general
of Roosvoruzheniye, the Russian arms export firm.
Blaming Washington for the ugly situation, he said the US enjoyed considerable international influence over Russia's political process and the media.
However, documents for the supply to India of the 40 Su-30
fighters have now been finally cleared, Korotchenko declared in an
interview to the daily Nezavisimay Gazeta.
He said the US attempt to block the sale of the Russian aircraft to India
was not a coincidence. "I cannot accept it. As soon as we
start preparing any major contract with a foreign country, we
immediately come across a wall of complications."
Then, all his officers were told that they could be fired any time. But, "we overcame all
the difficulties and the $ 1.8 billion contract has now
finally been sealed," he said.
He also accused Washington of adopting similar tactics to prevent
Russia from selling its arms to Columbia, Cyprus, Indonesia and South Korea, .
Meanwhile, Andrei Vavilov, president of an international financial company and
a former first deputy finance minister, has dismissed
as "irrelevant" the charges against him over a contract to
supply to India MiG-29 aircraft and equipment under credit,
reports the Russian newsagency Novasti.
His firm had been accused of swindling millions of dollars in
implementing the deal. However, Vavilov explained that the
Russian government had been informed about the project financing within the framework of President Boris Yeltin's decree and cabinet decision. Moreover,
he said the MiG company had no complaints about the deal.
EARLIER STORY:
Were bribes paid in the Sukhoi deal?
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