"Contracts in Iraq... Until Iraqi government was created Polish companies didn't get any contracts. Main reason of recently signed contracts is that Polish weapon and other products are quite good and quite cheap, other reason is that Iraqi deputy defense minister and a few other members of Iraqi government studied in Poland in 70's and 80's, speak Polish and probably have some informal connections with some of our government's agencies."
Iraq to buy 131 mln usd worth of military hardware from Poland
AFX ^ | Monday December 13
Posted on 12/13/2004 1:34:07 PM PST by Grzegorz 246
WARSAW (AFX) - Iraq will purchase 131 mln usd worth of military hardware from Poland, Iraqi deputy defense minister Ziad Catan said. Catan said the signing of a contract for the delivery of some 30 helicopters, troop transport vehicles, tanks and handguns was imminent. 'The agreement will be signed any time between now and tomorrow morning,' said Catan during a press conference. Catam added that he hopes Poland will become Iraq's main arms supplier.
Associated Press
Polish Weapons Maker Signs Deal With Iraq
12.15.2004, 10:36 AM
A Polish weapons maker signed a multimillion dollar contract Wednesday to equip the new Iraqi army with helicopters, machine guns and ambulances, a company official said.
"This is a great satisfaction for us," said Roma Sarzynska, a spokeswoman for Bumar PHZ, a state-owned arms supplier that lost a major bid earlier this year for a contract in Iraq.
Poland's Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz praised the deal as "good news" and a "first major step."
Under the US$236 million (euro177 million) deal, Bumar will supply the Iraqi army with helicopters, ambulances, pistols, machine guns and water storage tanks, Sarzynska said. Added to some smaller deals signed earlier this year, Bumar's contracts with the Iraqi army now total nearly US$300 million (euro225 million), Sarzynska said.
Leaders in Poland - which sent troops to the U.S.-led war in Iraq and now command a 6,000-strong international force there - have often expressed frustration that their loyalty to Washington had not resulted in more economic rewards.
Bumar lost a major bid early this year to Nour USA to supply the Iraqi army with a wide rage of equipment. Bumar, which bid US$560 million (euro420 million), accused Nour of underbidding with its offer of US$327 million (euro246 million), which it argued was not enough to meet the technical requirements of the contract.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2004/12/15/ap1713543.html