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Russia Giving Parts to Afghanistan
Saturday, September 7, 2002
By Vladimir Isachenkov
Associated Press Writer

Earlier this week, the ITAR-Tass news agency quoted an unidentified military official as saying that before the end of the year Russia could provide Afghanistan with 15 Mi-8 transport helicopters and Mi-24 helicopter gunships, tanks, armored personnel carriers, mortars, rocket launchers and other weapons from the defense ministry's arsenals. The agency said the aid would amount to as much as $40 million.

MOSCOW -- AP
Russia will give the Afghan army helicopters, communication equipment and materials to maintain its Soviet-made weapons, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Saturday after returning from a trip to Kabul.

Ivanov visited Kabul on Friday - the first visit by a Russian defense minister to Afghanistan since Soviet troops withdrew from the country in 1989 after nearly a decade of occupation and war. He met with President Hamid Karzai, Defense Minister Mohammed Fahim and other Afghan officials.

Speaking to reporters Saturday, Ivanov said that Russia was focusing on providing economic and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan but was also interested in helping its fledgling military.

He said Russia would provide radios, lubricants, trucks, spare parts and several military transport helicopters to the Afghan military.
(More: Miami.com News Source)
2002 © The Associated Press.

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