As reported by INTERFAX, ROSOBORONEXPORT State Corporation has prepared a package of contracts for supply of Russian weapon and military equipment worth of more than $4 billion to Algeria.

Some of these contracts have already been initialed and expected to be signed in February 2006.

Among the ready contracts are the contracts for supply of 8 battalions of air-defence systems S-300PMU «Favorit» worth of about $1 billion, as well as batch of T-90C tanks for several hundreds million dollars.

Apart direct supply of the equipment, modernisation of the existing one is envisaged - a big batch of T-72 tanks will undergo modernisation. Industrial enterprise Uralvagonzavod shall participate in implementation of these contracts.

Payment for the supplied arms will be effected according to a complicated scheme, which also includes writing off the part of Algerian debt to the former USSR, which according to experts, comes to $4.7 billion.

Sergyi Wey
30.01.2006

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