From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng (Original Message) Sent: 5/14/2007 3:43 AM Amnesty Says Russia Broke Arms Embargo
Combined Report
MOSCOW — Human rights group Amnesty International accused Russia and China on Tuesday of breaching a UN arms embargo by letting weapons into Sudan, where it said they were used in “grave violations” of international law.
Russia and China quickly rejected the report, and Sudan’s government said it was “not justified.”
Amnesty said it was “deeply dismayed” by the flow of arms allowed by Russia and China, both members of the UN Security Council, and said the weapons were often diverted to be used in conflicts in Darfur and neighboring Chad.
“The authority of the Security Council itself is being greatly undermined as the Sudanese authorities and armed groups in Darfur are allowed to act with such obvious impunity before the eyes of the world, importing and diverting arms to commit flagrant violations of international law,” Amnesty said.
In Moscow, the Foreign Ministry denied the allegations, saying, “No Russian weapons have been shipped to Darfur.”
“Russia’s military and technical cooperation with other countries is in line with international rules and norms,” the ministry said in a statement. “Russia has fully abided by the provisions of resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, which ban arms shipments to Darfur.”
In March 2005, the UN Security Council extended an arms embargo already in force for the rebels and the Sudanese Arab janjaweed militia in Darfur to include Sudan’s government.
Amnesty said it was particularly concerned about Russian Mi-24 helicopter gunships acquired by the Sudanese Air Force that were allegedly being used to launch attacks in Darfur.
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