Russia denies arms sales through neighbour Belarus

MINSK, May 23 (Reuters) A senior Russian arms official today denied any suggestion that Moscow was violating international agreements by selling weaponry through ex-Soviet neighbour Belarus to countries subject to embargos.

Western countries, harsh critics of Belarus's human rights records, have accused Minsk of engaging in illegal arms sales, sometimes on behalf of Russia.

Some media have said Belarus supplied weapons illegally to Iraqi President Saddam Hussein before his overthrow in 2003.

And Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported in March that Moscow may have sought to sell arms to Iran via Belarus.

''There have been no instances of selling arms and material to countries subject to an international embargo through our (Belarussian) partners,'' said Vladimir Paleshchuk, deputy head of Russia's federal service for military technical cooperation.

''Nor will this ever occur. There will be no secret acting behind the back of the international community,'' Paleshchuk told Reuters at the MILEX-2007 fair of weapons and military equipment.

Russia will boost arms sales to a record 7.5 billion dollar in 2007 as the Kremlin breaks into new markets for its military equipment, top military officials have said.

Moscow's drive to boost arms exports have raised tensions with the United States as the two former Cold War foes are often now in direct competition for major arms contracts.

The most prestigious exhibit at the Belarus arms show was organised by Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport, which put on a display the state of the art Pechora missile system and various models of tank.

Forty-three military delegations visited the fair -- including senior officials from China, Iran, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela -- but neither Belarussian nor Russian exhibitors were announcing any deals clinched.

''There was considerable interest in our production. Nearly all the delegations visited us,'' said Valentin Koptev, general director of BelOMO, which produces optics for a wide variety of weaponry, including Kalashnikov automatic rifles.

''But in general a lot of time passes between an expression of interest and signature of a contract. And as a rule, only one in five contacts culminates in a contract being signed.'' Arms exports have declined sharply in recent years in Belarus, which has only a small number of its own producers.

The country ranked among the top 10 world exporters at the end of the 1990s, when it was selling off surplus equipment and models left over from the Soviet era. Belarus does not disclose details about its arms exports.

Reuters SLD GC2244