Posted on 08/17/2008 3:23:35 PM PDT by kronos77
15 August 2008 Serbian defence officials denied selling weapons to Georgia, after Russia said assault rifles made in country’s arsenal Zastava were used in the recent conflict in South Ossetia.
A defence ministry official said the weapons were most likely sold to Georgia by one of the other former Yugoslav republics, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The M70 assault rifle is an improved copy of former Soviet Kalashnikov AK47. Both share the same caliber of 7.62x39 mm, but the Yugoslav version has an integral rifle grenade sight and is of much better quality. --- n 2007, workers from Zastava Oruzje went on a months-long strike over the refusal of the Defense Ministry to allow 2.5 million euros-worth export of weapons to Armenia.
The permit was finally granted only after Russian experts verified that the shipment made of small arms and ammunition will not influence stability of the region, Gromovic said. "Georgia was not even contemplated as a customer," he said.
Meanwhile, the British Broadcasting Corporation quoted former Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovic, as saying that Russian helicopters and aircraft were targeted by Yugoslav-made heat-seeking surface to air portable missiles 9K32M or Strela-2M (NATO reporting name SA-7b "Grail" Mod 1).
“I was always claiming that it would be harmful to sell weapons to foes of Russia, our biggest ally,” Draskovic said as quoted.
Gromovic said he “was stunned by Draskovic’s statement” and dismissed it as “senseless.” The Strela-2M was manufactured in former Yugoslavia under a license and since 1984, the then military developed an improved version dubbed Strela-2M/A with better warhead, electronics and heat-seeking guidance system.
(Excerpt) Read more at balkaninsight.com ...
Yeah, whatever. I look forward to your clear and objective posts in the future. Never mind the Bush sucks, Putin rocks stuff.
I asked you to provide a link to prove your statement and you ran away. So, when are you gonna post that link?
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