Russia says Ecuador's weapon transfer to US unacceptable

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
25 Jan 2024 09:29

Russia's FSMTC emphasizes that Russia and Ecuador maintain robust and historically established positive relations, particularly in sensitive areas such as defense industry collaboration.

Russian Mil Mi-171Sh military and transport helicopter. (Sputnik)

The Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) stated on Wednesday that the handover of Russian military equipment by Ecuador to a third party goes against the agreement between Moscow and Quito and is deemed "unacceptable."

In response to the Ecuadorian leadership's plan to transfer the military equipment to the United States, the FSMTC issued a statement expressing its stance.

"We would like to emphasize that in accordance with Article 4 of the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Republic of Ecuador on defense industry cooperation dated November 27, 2008, it is unacceptable to transfer to a third party military products received as a result of bilateral cooperation in the defense industry without the prior written consent of the Russian Federation," the statement said.

Comparable stipulations are incorporated into pertinent supply agreements, it further stressed.

The statement emphasized that Russia and Ecuador maintain robust and historically established positive relations, particularly in sensitive areas such as defense industry collaboration.

Nevertheless, Ecuador would breach its international commitments by transferring the military equipment, potentially impacting the future collaboration between the two nations, as stated in the announcement.

Earlier this month, Ecuador's fresh-faced new President Daniel Noboa announced the country's intention to trade aged Russian and Ukrainian equipment to the US in return for new equipment valued at $200 million.

Noboa did not specify the equipment involved, stating that the exchange was scheduled to occur by the end of January.

It is worth noting that Ecuador is known to utilize Soviet Mi-171E helicopters and Igla man-portable anti-aircraft missile systems (MANPADS). In 2023, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov met with Ecuadorian Ambassador to Russia Juan Fernando Holguin Flores and expressed optimism that Ecuador would refrain from supplying weapons to Ukraine.