| The report "Weapons supplies to developing | | | | In two words, Russia became "champion in |
| countries 1998-2005" published by the | | | | weapons export" through not only India and |
| research service of the USA Congress contains | | | | China, but also Iran. |
| data claiming that last year Russia became | | | | |
| number one in weapons export to developing | | | | And this is the second point that causes |
| countries with the total sum of supplies | | | | hesitations about objectivity and reliability |
| contracts amounted to 7.1 billion dollars. | | | | of the analysis held by the research service |
| According to this document, excerpts from | | | | of the Congress. Warlike equipment and arms |
| which were published with comments in The New | | | | export has always been quite a politically |
| York Times, Moscow beat Washington, which | | | | loaded issue. While marking Russian success |
| took the third position with its 6.2 billion | | | | in weapons trade the US report distinctly |
| dollars contracts. The second position | | | | remarks upon their backsliding from leading |
| belongs to France: it sold weapons on 6.3 | | | | positions in this chart. Interestingly, this |
| billion dollars, according to the US | | | | happens straight prior to the Congress |
| Congress. | | | | elections. The report claims that the States |
| | | | have lost a considerable share of the weapons |
| However, several facts of the "sensational" | | | | market since 2004. That year the US did 9.4 |
| document cause serious doubts. First of all, | | | | billion dollars on weapons trade while Russia |
| data provided by the US Congress do not gee | | | | did only 5.4, and now Russia is one billion |
| with the information spread in the beginning | | | | dollars ahead. The conclusion which is likely |
| of the year by the Federal commission of | | | | to get into many people of electional age |
| military-technical cooperation of Russia | | | | minds is quite predictable: to vote for |
| where the volume of Russian weapons export in | | | | democrats who can bring back our leadership |
| 2005 was estimated 6.126 billion dollars. The | | | | in weapons trade which means new jobs, new |
| sum can be considered record as in recent | | | | earnings... |
| years Russian exporters could hardly reach | | | | |
| the verge of 5 billion dollars. It seems | | | | It is necessary to mention that weapons |
| logical to be interested in clarification of | | | | export affairs in the States are not on the |
| the 1 billion difference in the Congress and | | | | decline. In 2005 the US income from weapons |
| the Federal commission data. | | | | trade was inconsiderably smaller than in |
| | | | 2004, besides, Russian achievements in this |
| Washington didn't beat about the bush to find | | | | sphere don't look that impressive in |
| an explanation of the difference mentioned | | | | comparison with just one of the US contracts |
| above: their comments indicated the fact that | | | | - 7 billion dollars contract with Turkey. |
| they also included Russian export of several | | | | Moreover, the US also provides NATO countries |
| land anti-aircraft defense systems | | | | with weapons as well, while the mentioned |
| (zenith-missile complex TOR-M1) to Iran. At | | | | market zone is deadly closed for Russian |
| the same time the report didn't emphasize the | | | | weapons suppliers. |
| fact whether Moscow had already supplied the | | | | |
| systems to Teheran or not. It only informed | | | | The General assembly of NATO has recently |
| that the affair cost 700 thousand dollars and | | | | made a decision to organize a special group |
| that apart from zenith-missile complex Russia | | | | to work out new international regulations |
| had also sold 8 air tankers to Iran. Besides, | | | | concerning weapons trade and export. Experts |
| Washington included Russian help concerning | | | | hope that after the regulations come into |
| Teheran's military equipment modernization | | | | force data on the achievements in this sphere |
| into the volume of Russian supplies to Iran. | | | | will be more truthful and reliable. |