Friday, February 19, 2010

Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) refuses to confirm Ukrainian tank deal

A Russian newspaper, Vremya Novostei, reports that Ukraine is selling the Sudanese government 100 T-72M tanks via the Ukrainian company, Ukrspetsexport.

SPLA are not allowed to buy weapons from abroad, according to the CPA.

UN Security Council resolutions 1556 and 1591 prohibit the sale of arms to warring parties in the Darfur region where SAF is combating armed anti-government groups.

Source: SRS report here below.

SAF Refuses To Confirm Ukrainian Tank Deal
From SRS - Sudan Radio Service, Thursday, 18 February 2010:
(Khartoum) - A Russian newspaper, Vremya Novostei, reports that Ukraine is selling the Sudanese government 100 T-72M tanks via the Ukrainian company, Ukrspetsexport.

Afrik website reports that the weapons company is shipping the tanks to Port Sudan as part of a 70 million USD contract.

The Sudan Armed Forces said that they deal openly with Russia in purchasing different types of weapons and ammunitions, but they weren’t prepared to confirm the Ukrainian tank contract.

SAF office spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid, spoke to SRS from Khartoum on Thursday.

[Lieutenant-Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid]: “We will not talk about the type of weapons that come to Sudan or the type of weapons we are arming SAF with, but trade and co-operation between us and Russia is open, whether it is in the field of airplanes, tanks or other equipment. There is no problem with that, but what the report says about the tanks particularly, we can’t confirm that.”

Khalid says that neither the international treaties nor the CPA bans SAF from buying weapons.

[Lieutenant-Colonel Al-Sawarmi Khalid]: “According to international treaties, or the agreement between us and the SPLM, there is nothing indicating that SAF is banned from buying or dealing in weapons. But the SPLA are not allowed to buy weapons from abroad, according to the CPA.”

UN Security Council resolutions 1556 and 1591 prohibit the sale of arms to warring parties in the Darfur region where SAF is combating armed anti-government groups.
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