Mr Maley prefers children's lifes

by Jurij Bespalko

Megapolis-Express, Moscow, 9 December, 1992

Mr Mikhail Maley, councillor of Russian president on questions of conversion, declared in an interview given to Cristian Science Monitor, that Russia in today's havy economical conditions can not stay without saling arms abroad.

"Situation which we are now in, presses us to spred into the world arms market", he underlined. "Lifes of people defend from it. This winter will be cold, and spring will be hungry. If it will be necessary to sail canons to the Libian leader Khaddafi for saving a child's life, we prefer to do it."

President's councillor admited in fact, that Russia has often to make contracts on saling arms abroad, which are not liked by United States and other Western countries.

According president's councillor, the former USSR has sale in 1990 weapons on 14 billions of US dollars. In fact however only 4 billions of dollars were received, because many countries have got weapons as a "gift". During the last time Russia have lost many "old" markets.

Also arms trading became now more difficult, because UN has declared weapons' embargo against such countries as Libia, Iraq and Yugoslavia. Thanks to completing the conditions of these sanctions, Mr Maley states, only this year Russia has lost possibility to sale arms on more than 7 billions of dollars.