Dan website, Podgorica, Montenegro
Nov 6 2012
We Did Not Sell Arms to Syria
[Translated from Serbian]
Statement issued by Serbian CRP Impeks Company
We have been shocked to read your articles on the sales of arms and
munitions to Syria, in which you made a grave accusation against our
firm of involvement in impermissible export in September 2009, which
is a complete untruth. With this kind of untrue reporting, you have
done untold harm to our firm, in view of the fact that we had nothing
to do with the shipment in question. Neither then nor before or after
that time have we ever shipped a single piece of weaponry, munitions,
or any other goods to Syria or any other country under a (UN, US,
OSCE, or EU) embargo. As well, our firm has never exported anything to
the Armenian firm DG Arms, either. Export procedures in our country,
as well as in yours, are far more serious and complex, so this kind of
thing is not possible even if one wanted to do it.
The Photostats of the document (combined customs form) that you
submitted as evidence, as well as other documents, are dirty,
dangerous, and badly executed forgeries made by malicious people and
we are hereby asking you to examine them carefully and submit them to
an expert analysis. The forgeries in question had been circulated also
in the past and the ministries and competent services in both
Montenegro and Serbia established at the time that they were obvious
forgeries, besides which the ship in question, Barbet Arrow, did not
visit the Port of Bar at the relevant time. It is a big question
whether it has ever been in the Port of Bar at all. According to our
information, the stamp on the Montinspekt document with the cited call
signal (Oxco2), IMO number (8102024), and Port of Registry (Nakskov)
belongs to the ship Danica Green, which was in the Port of Bar on 28
November 2007. Not to mention numerous other illogicalities and
inaccuracies contained in the published forged documents. It is
surprising that your newspaper should have so blithely published such
untruths and sweeping generalizations about the alleged deals without
first consulting expert services in Serbia and Montenegro that control
arms and military equipment trade (and transport). It is glaringly
obvious that the intention of the reporter was to create a sensation
rather than to establish the facts. In a very short time, we will be
submitting also reports from the Port of Bar and others that you named
in your text that will confirm all our assertions.
As for the article about the export of old Chinese rifles to the
United States, in your ignorance of the facts, you again fabricated
lies and falsely accused us, since the entire enterprise was carried
out in conformity with US laws (as well as Montenegrin, Serbian, and
Albanian laws, of course), which allow the import into the United
States of rifles that are over 50 years old, because such rifles are
considered to be historical artifacts and rarities. Their buyers are
US collectors, not some kind of Mexican drug cartels. The entire
enterprise was approved by the US government (which issued an
international import certificate, which clearly states that the items
in question are of Chinese origin). Also, the US buyer, Sentry Arms
[as published], submitted documentation issued by the competent US
ministry about taking delivery of the Chinese rifles.
Therefore, all of your allegations are based on the grossest
falsities, unverified facts, insinuations, and ignorance of
international laws governing the trade in and the transport of
armament.
We reiterate once again that all of our company’s activities are fully
in keeping with the laws of Serbia, as well as those of Montenegro for
goods transiting through its territory, and are fully under the
control of the numerous competent ministries and services.
With this kind of malicious reporting, you have done us untold harm
and we will be forced to institute legal proceedings against the
newspaper, the reporter, and the person or persons unknown that forged
the customs documentation and to seek financial redress, CRP Impeks
Comp any says in its response.
[Translated from Serbian]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Disclaimer: This article was contributed and translated into English by Emil Lazarian. While we strive for quality, the views and accuracy of the content remain the responsibility of the contributor. Please verify all facts independently before reposting or citing.
Direct link to this article: https://www.armenianclub.com/2012/11/11/we-did-not-sell-arms-to-syria/
