Posted on 09/26/2002 7:48:40 AM PDT by Jake0001
Ukraine responds to 'Iraqi sales' claim
Ukraine's opposition is staging a second day of protests Ukrainian Foreign Minister Anatoly Zlenko is to hold urgent talks in the United Nations, following allegations that Kiev approved the sale of advanced radar systems to Iraq.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Serhiy Borodenkov said Mr Zlenko had broken off a trip to the Dominican Republic to meet UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in New York.
He is also expected to meet the Chairman of the UN Security Council's Iraqi sanctions committee, Ole Peter Kolby.
The visits comes after Nato Secretary-General George Robertson said "very serious questions" needed to be answered about evidence emerging of the alleged deal.
Earlier, the United States announced it was suspending more than $50m in aid to Ukraine and launching a policy review of its relations with the country.
Presidential administration head Viktor Medvedchuk said the accusations were aimed at boosting opposition to Mr Kuchma.
The row comes as Kiev faces a deep internal crisis, with opposition supporters holding a second day of protests and making increasingly vocal calls for Mr Kuchma's resignation.
US concern
Ukrainian Economics Minister Oleksandr Shlapak dismissed the accusations and said his government did not understand the US decision.
His remarks were the first high-level response from Ukraine to an announcement by Washington that the US is reviewing its policies towards a country that has been in the top five recipients of US aid for more than a decade.
The move comes after US officials authenticated tape recordings, in which they say President Leonid Kuchma is heard approving the sale of Kolchuga early warning radar systems to Iraq.
Speaking on the eve of his departure to Washington as head of Ukraine's delegation to the IMF and the World Bank, Mr Shlapak said there was still no proof that Ukraine has illegally sold weapons systems to Iraq.
Although existing humanitarian aid projects will be unaffected, Washington's decision is an unambiguous gesture of concern, says BBC Russian regional analyst Steven Eke.
The evidence is a secretly-made audio recording by Mr Kuchma's former security officer Mykola Melnychenko, in which the president is apparently heard approving a scheme to smuggle four radars to Iraq via a Jordanian intermediary.
Transcripts of the conversation have been in the public domain for some months, and the State Department says its delayed reaction is due to time-consuming efforts to authenticate the recording.
The US State Department says it has indications that the Ukrainian radars may already be in Iraq.
Known as passive radars, they are reported to be able to locate all types of aircraft - including stealth aircraft - while themselves remaining virtually undetectable.
It tells ya' what is up there, doesn't do a damn thing to jam or attack! The aircrew doesn't know they're being seen, but they should know where they are.
(sigh)
kj
Passive radars are not vulnerable to HARM missile attack, since they do not emit any signal. They monitor existing VHF/UHF TV transmissions and cell-phone tower transmissions. A stealth aircraft may absorb radar directed towards it, but it will cast a "shadow" if it flies between a TV tower and a passive radar station
If some of those 200 missing nukes were sold to Iraq ..... they got big problems!
Better 'fess up @ssholes!
The socialist are his opposition. Now, aren't they the same group of liberals who claim Iraq is not a threat? If he's not a threat, why are they at all concerned? They should be happy the wealth is shared.
If you target the electrical power generating and distribution systems, there won't be enough power available to run cell phone towers and TV stations.
Simple solution, remove the transmitter part of the
system. Bye bye TV tower, cell phone tower, and all other emitters with enough signal strength to be used
by the detection system.
"Passive" really isn't correct, since there is an active
transmitter involved, just at a remote location from the receiver.
Good point. Socialists can't survive without that free handout. Good observation.
Ukraine: Look into arms exports
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/626261/posts
UKRAINE SUSPECTED OF SUPPLYING ARMS TO IRAQ
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/636844/posts
Iraq 'seeks Ukraine arms links'
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/712906/posts
U.S. Warns Ukraine on Arms Secrets
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/726117/posts
New York Times Certain that Ukraine Sells Arms to Iraq
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/756193/posts
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