The Bosnian government has imposed a ban on exports of all military equipment following the disclosure of a Serbian factory’s violation of the United Nations (UN) arms embargo on Iraq.
NATO-led peacekeepers conducted a surprise raid of the state-owned Orao Aviation Firm two weeks ago, after receiving information from US intelligence reports that the company was illegally selling equipment to Iraq.
The investigation revealed that Orao was restoring MiG-21 Iraqi aircraft and was delivering the finished product via the Yugoslav state trading company Jugoimport. According to the US State Department, Yugoslav defense companies have been cooperating with Iraq in long-range cruise missile development for the past two years.
Government official fired Jugoimport's top director and a deputy defense minister last week in response to the findings and the Serb Republic fired the Orao factory director, the chief of the air force and head of its trading company.
The UN Security Council affirmed the arms embargo against Iraq in 1991 and asked all countries to monitor arms shipments and impose penalties for violations. The embargo covers all forms of conventional weapons and military equipment, chemical and biological weapons and their components. The embargo extends to all arms research and development, repair facilities and technology licensing, and personnel training. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
