Turkey mulling Sudan’s demand for weapons

January 31, 2008 (ANKARA) – Turkish government is studying a Sudanese demand to buy weapons, said the minister of defence here on Wednesday.

Earlier this month, a Turkish military delegation visited the Sudanese capital to discuss military cooperation with Khartoum, following the signing of Memorandum of understanding on military cooperation in July 2007.

“Sudan had some requests to buy weapons in the past, but we are still looking into them,” Vecdi Gönül the Turkish defence minister said at a press conference held jointly with his Macedonian counterpart, Lazar Elenovski.

According to the Turkish Daily News, the minister did not elaborate on the details of the Sudanese minister. But it seems that Sudan is interested by military technology transfer more than weapons.

Sudanese President Omar El Bashir paid a state visit to Ankara on January 21. His visit stirred the criticism of many human rights organisations.

The minister denied that Al-Bashir discussed the issue of weapons with the government during his visit.

(ST)