Posted on 07/10/2007 8:48:10 PM PDT by 3AngelaD
CHISINAU, Moldova: An appeals court freed former Defense Minister Valeriu Pasat on Monday, overturning his conviction for abusing his position in the sale of 21 fighter planes to the United States...Pasat, who was defense minister from 1997 to 1999, was accused of selling the MiG planes for US$40 million (€29 million) when the country could have received more money from Iran, which had offered to pay the poor former Soviet republic US$90 million (€66 million).
The United States has defended the 1997 sale, with a U.S. government representative testifying that Moldova could have faced economic sanctions if it sold the planes to a hostile country.
Pasat, who has denied any wrongdoing, was also convicted last year of selling grenade launchers to a Slovak company at a discounted price in 1998, causing Moldova to lose US$1.8 million (€1.3 million). That sentenced was overturned by an appeals court based on an amnesty law.
"I just want to go home to see my daughter and my mother," he told reporters after being reunited with his wife in the courtroom....He has claimed his trial was politically-motivated because of his disagreements with Communist President Vladimir Voronin.
(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...
Yup. Those were the MiG-29s, right? Even the relatively crappy early models are pretty good (although their range is terrible) in comparison to most of what Iran has. I do think they did get a couple in GW 1, though when the Iraqis flew them to Iran. Also, the AA-11s they use aren’t bad either.
Poorly written article...no surprise, its a sub of the NYT...The USA bought MIGS from Moldova?
Probably for training and target practice.
The USA bought MIGS from Moldova to keep them from going to Iran.
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