Iraq paid advanced payment of 20% for import of arms

Minister of Defense in the Government of Serbia, Dragan Šutanovac, said yesterday (January 30, 2008), on the occasion of his visit to "Zastava Arms", that the Ministry of Defense of Iraq had paid the advanced payment in amount of 20%, that is, 236m USD, which is the value of this-year export of Serbian arms and military equipment to that country in the Near East.

He reminded that the Kragujevac-based factory would deliver 18,250 pistols "CZ 99" to Iraqi armed forces in 2008, 3,000 of which with special engraving.

The value of that export arrangement is about 5m USD. Minister of Defense announced that the latest model of "Zastava's" rifle "M21" would be included in the armament of the Army of Serbia very soon.

The Army of Serbia will be delivered 1,500 rifles "M21", while the next deliveries will be larger and they will depend on the needs of the Army of Serbia.