No oil-jet swap with Russia - Kiyonga
Apr 06, 2010
DEFENCE minister Crispus Kiyonga has dismissed reports that Uganda was planning a deal to swap oil for Russian jet fighters.
By Cyprian Musoke
DEFENCE minister Crispus Kiyonga has dismissed reports that Uganda was planning a deal to swap oil for Russian jet fighters.
“There are no discussions at all about swapping. In any case, there is no Russian company prospecting for oil in Uganda,†Kiyonga told The New Vision.
Russia’s state-owned radio, The Voice of Russia, on Monday quoted a Moscow military-diplomatic source saying Uganda was planning to sign an agreement for the purchase of six Su-30 fighter planes and pay for them with oil money.
“Since Uganda is short of real money to pay for the planes, Russian LUKoil is negotiating its potential participation in developing large oil fields in Uganda, implying a possible swapping,†the radio reported.
The reputable Russian newspaper, Vedomosti, went further saying the state-owned arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, signed two contracts worth $1.2b for the delivery of six fighters to Uganda and another 16 to Algeria.
Kiyonga called the reports ‘lopsided’ and preposterous since Uganda has not yet started oil production.
“We don’t know how much commercial oil will come out and when. How can you get goods and say: You wait until we produce oil? It just doesn’t make sense.â€
He, however, declined to say if Uganda intended to buy the ultra-modern jet fighters, saying this was classified information.
“We deal with many countries. There are certain things we buy from Russia. But our way of doing business is not through the press. These things are classified.â€
He disclosed that the Government talked to the Russian embassy yesterday to complain about the way sensitive security issues had been handled.
“We had to call them and tell them this is not the way to deal with security matters,†he said, adding that he would make a statement in Parliament about it today.
On Monday, army spokesperson Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye said there had been discussions with the Russians about the war planes but the cost was considered too high.
“We had negotiations with the Russians over the jet fighters but upon realising that the cost was too high, we decided otherwise. We never entered into an agreement with them.â€
Instead, he said, the Ugandan airforce decided to send its six MIG-21 fighter planes for overhaul to Russia about two weeks ago. He did not say at what cost.
The Su-30 fighter plane is a two-seater, multi-role fighter, capable of accomplishing a wide variety of combat missions within a range of 3,000km in any weather conditions, both by day and night.
The tasks it can perform range from air defense, air patrol and escort to ground attack, suppression of enemy air defenses and maritime attack.
Earlier yesterday, energy minister Hillary Onek denied any knowledge of the oil-for-jets deal.
“That’s new to me. We have never had any such negotiations. As far as I know, we have not negotiated with any of the companies as reported,†he said.
Information minister Kabakumba Masiko re-assured the nation that the proceeds from oil would be used for long-term infrastructure projects.
“One thing that should be clear is that oil money is not in any way going to be used for recurrent expenditures like those.
“It is only going to be used for solid permanent infrastructure like roads energy, science and technology,†she stressed.
DEFENCE minister Crispus Kiyonga has dismissed reports that Uganda was planning a deal to swap oil for Russian jet fighters.
“There are no discussions at all about swapping. In any case, there is no Russian company prospecting for oil in Uganda,†Kiyonga told The New Vision.
Russia’s state-owned radio, The Voice of Russia, on Monday quoted a Moscow military-diplomatic source saying Uganda was planning to sign an agreement for the purchase of six Su-30 fighter planes and pay for them with oil money.
“Since Uganda is short of real money to pay for the planes, Russian LUKoil is negotiating its potential participation in developing large oil fields in Uganda, implying a possible swapping,†the radio reported.
The reputable Russian newspaper, Vedomosti, went further saying the state-owned arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, signed two contracts worth $1.2b for the delivery of six fighters to Uganda and another 16 to Algeria.
Kiyonga called the reports ‘lopsided’ and preposterous since Uganda has not yet started oil production.
“We don’t know how much commercial oil will come out and when. How can you get goods and say: You wait until we produce oil? It just doesn’t make sense.â€
He, however, declined to say if Uganda intended to buy the ultra-modern jet fighters, saying this was classified information.
“We deal with many countries. There are certain things we buy from Russia. But our way of doing business is not through the press. These things are classified.â€
He disclosed that the Government talked to the Russian embassy yesterday to complain about the way sensitive security issues had been handled.
“We had to call them and tell them this is not the way to deal with security matters,†he said, adding that he would make a statement in Parliament about it today.
On Monday, army spokesperson Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye said there had been discussions with the Russians about the war planes but the cost was considered too high.
“We had negotiations with the Russians over the jet fighters but upon realising that the cost was too high, we decided otherwise. We never entered into an agreement with them.â€
Instead, he said, the Ugandan airforce decided to send its six MIG-21 fighter planes for overhaul to Russia about two weeks ago. He did not say at what cost.
The Su-30 fighter plane is a two-seater, multi-role fighter, capable of accomplishing a wide variety of combat missions within a range of 3,000km in any weather conditions, both by day and night.
The tasks it can perform range from air defense, air patrol and escort to ground attack, suppression of enemy air defenses and maritime attack.
Earlier yesterday, energy minister Hillary Onek denied any knowledge of the oil-for-jets deal.
“That’s new to me. We have never had any such negotiations. As far as I know, we have not negotiated with any of the companies as reported,†he said.
Information minister Kabakumba Masiko re-assured the nation that the proceeds from oil would be used for long-term infrastructure projects.
“One thing that should be clear is that oil money is not in any way going to be used for recurrent expenditures like those.
“It is only going to be used for solid permanent infrastructure like roads energy, science and technology,†she stressed.