Qahwaji to Russia to Diversify Army Weapon Sources
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Army chief General Jean Qahwaji is scheduled to travel to Russia soon to discuss ways that Moscow can provide the Lebanese army with military aid, news reports said on Wednesday.
Qahwaji aims to diversify the sources of military weapons provided to Lebanon within the $500 million quota allocated to the army and as part of the one billion Saudi grant in that regard, As Safir daily reported.
Former Premier and head of al-Mustaqbal Movement MP Saad Hariri announced on August 6 that Saudi Arabia will grant Lebanon one billion dollars to the military institution to “combat terrorism.”
Media information said that $500 million of the grant will be given in cash to the Lebanese army to get the weapons and ammunition needed.
Qahwaji had reiterated to his visitors that Hariri told him to “find the best suitable contract for the military institution, and we will be right behind you,” according to As Safir Wednesday.
It also revealed that the army chief will visit Russia soon after he held several contacts with the Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin in Beirut to sign the arms deal with the leadership of the Russian army.
Qahwaji is expected to visit several western and eastern capitals to purchase the weapons, added the daily, pointing that the U.S. has put its weapons warehouses in Cyprus under the disposal of the Lebanese army since the latest incidents that flared in the northeastern border town of Arsal.
Hariri, who made a surprise visit to Lebanon at the beginning of August after three years abroad, had left back to Jeddah a few days afterwards to “hold discussions with Saudi leaders on the aid granted to the Lebanese army.”
In December 2013 Saudi Arabia had granted three billion dollars for the purchase of arms from France for the benefit of the Lebanese army.
D.A.
G.K.
20 August 2014, 16:25
30
Siet Hidde Rein> i said what!?
oh an dont be a coward, post with one of your 10 fake accounts instead of hiding behind "guest" names.
20 August 2014, 17:49
00
with nothing! the russians and french and usa will send nothing of importance to the LAF. Any advanced weapons will be vetoed by the Israelis! The LAF are not beggars! stop the political lies... KSA donation will never meet the LAF... You cant deny history!
21 August 2014, 05:50
02
It's not a real veto, Israel have told western countries not to sell advances weapons and armed vehicles to LAF and the west have agreed not to do so, but Russia is not the west and will not care if Israel tells the russians not to sell.
21 August 2014, 09:32
02
anonymetexasusa
If you had read the news back then you would know that the visit by the Israeli Prime minister was because Iran wanted to buy several S300 surface-to-air missile systems, he wanted to stop the deal, but couldn't because Russian don't care what Israel wants.
2nd, If Israel like you say stopped Russia from giving the Lebanese army this gift, why have then half of the gift already been given to our army?
20 August 2014, 17:49
21
promises = words
words = wind
>>> promises = wind
actions? what is this word? persian? or what?
21 August 2014, 05:19
02
Bro, Iran has always said that they support our army and that they want to help us build a strong army bud the government of our country has declined their offer due to different reasons
21 August 2014, 07:30
02
anonymetexasusa
I don't know where you got Hezbollah from, but please tell me how the Lebanese army will be stronger than it is now by disarming Hezbollah
21 August 2014, 08:30
02
anonymetexasusa
Haha so you are telling me every single hezbollah soldier will join the army, you are welcome to prove that to me. Second of all the army already have enough firearms to supply every soldier in the army, they don't really need 5-6000 iranian made riffles. The support I meant earlier is in the form of Air defense rockets and ballistic missiles and not cheap M16 copies.
20 August 2014, 18:39
00
anonymetexasusa... Harriri and elias el murr both visited russia and promised mig 27 fighters, then attack helicopters with president Suliman.... nothing came or will come. Israel vetoes all deliveries! only chance we had was after the georgian war with russia in 2008 when Putin threatened israel after they found Israeli training of georgian army...still nothing happened! the LAF will never receive any advanced weapons and this is why Hezbollah and the LAF are forced to work closely to defend Lebanon. If the USA and others wants Hezbollah to be pressured they need to arm the LAF who are the only true patriotic establishment left in Lebanon.
21 August 2014, 05:36
02
+ Russia has allot of modern weapons and armed vehicles that we need and can buy, for example the T-72 or T-90 Tank, cheaper than western tanks and they are modern and good, OSV-96 sniper, AN-94 and Ak-74M, 2S19 Msta, S-300 air defense and a lot more, and unlike the west Russia will sell us the equipment that we want and need, also to a good price, and not care of what Israel says.
21 August 2014, 07:54
02
anonymetexasusa
It is 31 T-72 tanks, not 50 T-90's so please get your facts straight, second of all do you really think Lebanon is the only country in the world that Russia is supplying army equipment to, Russia is the world's largest arms exporters it will take some time to complete 6 Mil Mi 24/35 helis and 31 T-72 tanks, one Mi 24/35 takes 3 years to complete, look it up if you don't believe me, so you can expect all the helis and tanks to arrive together late 2015 or early 2016
21 August 2014, 08:14
02
In this gift by the Russians, Several amount of 130-millimeter artillery and 500,000 rounds of ammunition for artillery where also included in this gift and these parts of this gift have already arrived to the army long time ago.
21 August 2014, 08:21
02
anonymetexasusa
Lebanon will probably buy from the Russian reserves, because of the existing threats from ISIS, so they will probably arrive within 1-2 months and for a cheaper price. When Lebanon was offered those free 6 mil mi 24/35's and 31 M-72 tanks there where no existing threat to Lebanon, witch also was the reason for the order of completely new built equipment.
27 August 2014, 14:44
00
Russia is not the only party to be blâmer for the failure of delivery of weapons there has been no effort by the lebanese political class to follow up on the deal and establish contact with the the russians for unknown reasons. It seems to me that there is a flagrant consensus by the political groups both 14 and 8 march to keep the status quo. How : by only accepting weapons from western sources and these weapons obviously cannot increase the lebanese army's strength and second by not accepting weapons from countries such as russia and iran for fear of aligning the state with the political current that they represent and for fear of angering the US. And obviously Hezbollah is not bothered by this situation for it remains the most powerful force in lebanon
13 September 2014, 18:42
00
anonymetexasusa if russia is not a reliable source then who is ? usa ? and she was the first one to make a vito on the lebanese army and were getting from her is light weapons for rabbits and birds but the russian they gave us free of charge heavy machine jets helicopters with no back interest of whatsoever ...
usa politics and interests are the main problem on our soil
