SERBIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY AGAINST ARMS EXPORTS TO GEORGIA, ARMENIA

FoNet news agency, Belgrade,
4 Oct 06

Belgrade, 4 October: The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
announced in a statement that it will not give its political consent
for the export and transport of Serbian weapons to Georgia and Armenia
because they could be used against Russia and the Russian Army in
that crisis area.

The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says that it is not competent
to issue permits for the export and transport of weapons from Serbia
and that such permits are issued by the Ministry for Foreign Economic
Relations. The foreign affairs ministry only gives its political
opinion on export or import, the statement adds.

We assumed a negative position towards requests for the export of
weapons to Georgia and Armenia and we explained it by saying that it
could be used in that crisis area against Russians and the Russian
Army, the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs says.

Only two weeks ago, in talks with our state delegation led by Serbian
President Boris Tadic, Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey
Lavrov thanked Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic and the
Serbian government for their stance not to export weapons to the
Caucasus region, because they are intended for fighting Russia,
the statement says.

It goes on to say that, despite political opposition from the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations and
the Serbian government may nevertheless issue licenses for the export
and import of Serbian weapons to Georgia and Armenia.