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Venezuela to sign with Russia contract on helicopter purchase
19/2/2005 11:13

Venezuela will sign a contract with Russia next Monday on the purchase of 10 helicopters, the local daily El Universal quoted an official as saying on Friday.
The 120-million-US-dollar agreement is part of Venezuela's planned acquirement of 44 helicopters from Russia, said Eddy Rios, president of the Defense Commission of the National Assembly.
The first six helicopters will arrive within nine months and the rest will be delivered in the following three months, Rios said. No details about the signing venue were available.
Rios also said a contract to acquire Russian AK-47 assault rifles to replace traditional FALs will be signed when the first stage of helicopter negotiations is concluded.
On Thursday, the Venezuelan parliament approved a resolution supporting efforts "to activate, renew and update the equipment of the armed forces" and rejected the "intervention" of the United States on the issue of arms purchase from Russia.
But the resolution did not gain support from the opposition legislators who consider it "immoral and insensitive" to spend millions of dollars on the helicopters when thousands of people are affected by rain and need help.



Xinhua