Iraq cancels $4.2 bn Russia arms deal 'over graft'
- Published: 10 Nov 2012 at 17.47
- Online news: World
Baghdad cancelled a $4.2 billion arms package with Russia on Saturday citing graft concerns and instead opted for new talks, ending a deal that would have made Moscow Iraq's second-biggest arms supplier.
Iraqi army MIA1 Abrams tanks roll under the victory Arch landmark during an Army Day parade in Baghdad in January. Iraq has cancelled a $4.2 bn package of arms deals with Russia over corruption concerns, a spokesman for Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Saturday.
In a bizarre sequence, however, the acting defence minister who negotiated the deal directly contradicted the prime minister's office, insisting nothing had been cancelled, a position that was swiftly denied by the premier's spokesman.
This article is older than 60 days, which we reserve for our premium members only.You can subscribe to our premium member subscription, here.
