Russia May Increase Deliveries of Materiel to Czech Republic to Pay off Its Debt

Russia is ready to increase the deliveries of arms to the Czech Republic to pay off its debt to the country, General Director of the Russian Agency for Conventional Arms Alexander Nozdrachev told RIA Novosti after a meeting with Deputy Defence Minister of the Czech Republic for armaments Pavel Severa.

Nozdrachev is heading the Russian delegation at the 7th International Exhibition of defence technologies in Brno, IDET 2003.

"At issue are the deliveries of Mi-24 helicopters and aircraft for transport aviation," Nozdrachev explained. According to him, negotiations are now underway to use alternative arms as payment of the debt within the intergovernmental agreement and to upgrade the materiel.

Now, Russia's debt to the Czech Republic makes some $1.1 billion. Earlier, it was some $3.7 billion.

At the international exhibition of defence technology in Brno Russia is presenting more than 250 models of arms and military hardware made by the country's 30 leading defence enterprises. Twenty-four countries are displaying their products in South Moravia.