New York Times certain that Ukraine sells arms to Iraq

Americans might take serious measures against Ukraine

The American administration decided to suspend aid to Ukraine in the sum of tens of millions of dollars. This decision was made due to a growing suspicion: the USA suspects Ukraine of delivering defense technology to Iraq. The newspaper New York Times reported on Tuesday that the White House came to the conclusion that Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma personally approved of a plan to export up-to-date radar systems to Iraq. This conclusion was made because of conversations that was secretly taped in the Ukrainian president’s office. The tapes were recorded by a former security guard, major Nikolay Melnichenko, who later fled to the West.

US Justice Ministry experts determined that it was indeed Leonid Kuchma’s voice on the tape. Kuchma was discussing the mentioned export transaction with the director of the Ukrainian company Ukrspecexport, Valery Malev. Malev was taped as saying: “Iraq addressed us via a Jordan mediator with a request to purchase four Kolchuga radar emplacements. Iraq offered us $100 million.” The president allegedly answered: “Watch that the Jordanian holds his tongue. Do it.”

American officials say that there is no final evidence to prove the fact of the transaction of July 2000. Yet, the American administration believes that there are certain vestiges that show that a Kolchuga radar system is already in Iraq. This might be dangerous to American pilots. Washington has already informed its NATO partners about the recent discovery. The USA also released an official statement on the matter to Ukrainian officials. The latter deny everything.

The New York Times wrote that Ukraine became one of the world’s largest arms supplier over the past five years. The newspaper believes that America might take tough measures against Ukraine if the transaction with Iraq is finally proved.

On the photo: President of Ukraine, Leonid Kuchma

Alexander Gorobets PRAVDA.Ru Kiev Ukraine

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov