First shipment of Serbian arms due in Armenia February 15?

PanARMENIAN.Net - The first shipment of arms produced by the Kragujevac-based weapons manufacturer Zastava Oruzje will head for Armenia toward the end of the week, although it was announced earlier that the first shipment would take place in mid-January.



The shipment was delayed due to the complicated procedure for issuing all the permits necessary for the export of arms. Zastava Oruzje got the permit to export the first of the two arranged shipments, worth USD 1.7 million, on January 10th, but the procedure for issuing the transport and other necessary permits is only now being completed. Therefore, the actual shipment would take place on February 15th. The realization of the second export contract, worth USD 900 000, is still uncertain, as none of the ministries in charge of this matter approved the export on the basis of this contract. According to unofficial reports, the problem is, once again, that of higher national interests in connection with the status of Kosovo and Metohija, although Russia had approved the export of arms to the countries in question, with the exception of Georgia.



As the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Internal Affairs have not given their consent for issuing a second export permit to Zastava Oruzje, the final decision on this matter will have to be made by the Serbian Government, reports EASTBUSINESS.ORG.