Sunday, September 13, 2009

DTN News: Bolivia To Buy Presidential Plane An-148 From Russia

DTN News: Bolivia To Buy Presidential Plane An-148 From Russia *Source: DTN News / Int'l Media (NSI News Source Info) LA PAZ, Bolivia - September 13, 2009: President Evo Morales says Bolivia has decided to buy a presidential plane from Russia after Moscow offered to set up an aircraft maintenance center in the South American nation. Bolivia officially addressed to Russia with a request to provide a 100-million-dollar loan, the nation’s Defense Minister Walker San Miguel Rodriguez said. The money, the minister added, would be used to modernize the outdated military hardware in Bolivia and to purchase a presidential jetliner. The credit terms will be determined as soon as Russia gives its answer. It is worthy of note that Russia already gave a loan to Cuba last week. “It does not go about any arms race or a threat to any country. It goes about the normal replacement of military hardware. The government of Bolivia addressed to Russia with a request to provide a loan of $100 million for the modernization of Bolivian armed forces,” the defense minister said in an interview with a local radio station. The loan from Russia will give Bolivia an opportunity to replace the outdated hardware, which has been used in the nation during the recent 20 years. In addition, the country intends to acquire the An-148 jetliner as a presidential plane. The cost of the liner will make up about $30 million, Itar-Tass news agency reports. Defense Minister Walker San Miguel announced in early August that Bolivia had agreed to purchase an Antonov presidential plane with satellite phone, Internet links and a meeting room from Russia for $30 million. Morales postponed the purchase, but said his government has now decided to buy it because of the offer to set up a service center for Russian planes in Bolivia. Morales said Saturday the offer from President Dmitry Medvedev was delivered to him by Russia's ambassador. The current presidential plane is U.S.-made Sabre jet from the 1970s.

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