CHILE TO PUSH FOR CHOPPER DEAL WITH RUSSIA DESPITE U.S. PRESSURE

RIA Novosti
July 10, 2009

MEXICO, July 10 (RIA Novosti) – Chile plans to continue talks with
Russia on the delivery of five Mi-17 multirole helicopters for the
Chilean Air Force despite pressure from the United States, a government
spokesperson has said.

Chile originally planned to purchase S-70A Black Hawk helicopters
from the U.S. but change their mind after Russia state arms exporter
Rosoboronexport quoted an estimated $80 million for their Mi-17 V5
craft, which are nearly half the price of the Black Hawks.

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke sent a letter to Chilean
ambassador Jose Goni on July 1, in which he expressed his
"disappointment" with the country’s decision.

"It is quite normal. When a decision is made over a purchase of
equipment or weaponry there is always a losing side, which becomes
disappointed and attempts to defend its point of view," Chilean
government official Carolina Toha said.

Chilean Defense Minister Francisco Vidal was earlier quoted as saying
that "we should not choose the seller [of weaponry] according to
nationality, and decisions on the purchase of weaponry must be based
on the results of an open tender."

According to Chilean military officials, the Russian helicopters
would be used for search and rescue operations, especially civilian
emergencies.

Russian weaponry is popular among many Latin American countries,
but Chile has traditionally been a purchaser of western-made equipment.