Washington Post: Bulgaria Illegally Arms Kurds in Northern Iraq

Business | November 23, 2008, Sunday // 00:00

In September of 2008, Kurdish officials received three planeloads of small arms and ammunition imported from Bulgaria, a delivery that occurred outside the weapons procurement procedures of Iraq's central government, the Washington Post, reported on Sunday.

The extensive article focusing on the issue of ethnic curds in Iraq, cites three US military officials, who have spoken on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.

According to the three officials, the weapons arrived in the northern city of Sulaymaniyah in September on three C-130 cargo planes.

"The large quantity of weapons and the timing of the shipment alarmed U.S. officials, who have grown concerned about the prospect of an armed confrontation between Iraqi Kurds and the government at a time when the Kurds are attempting to expand their control over parts of northern Iraq," the author Ernesto LondoГ±o writes.

The Kurdish officials have declined to answer questions about the shipments but they have released the following statement: "The Kurdistan Regional Government continues to be on the forefront of the war on terrorism in Iraq. With that continued threat, nothing in the constitution prevents the KRG from obtaining defense materials for its regional defense."

The Iraqi Interior Minister Jawad al-Bolani, gave an interview in which he confirmed that central government officials have not authorized the purchase of weapons from Bulgaria. The Minister further said such an acquisition would constitute a "violation" of Iraqi law because only the Ministries of Interior and Defense are authorized to import weapons.

The article's full text can be found at: http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=99160

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