TSAMTO, October 17. The United States will pay the Philippines about $ 100 million for the termination of the deal for the purchase of Russian Mi-17 helicopters. This, as RIA Novosti reports, was reported by the American ambassador in Manila, Marykey Carlson.
"The decision to terminate the deal was made by the government of the Philippines, and we are very grateful for this," the website of the ABS–CBN TV channel quotes M. Carlson as saying.
"The US State Department has notified Congress of its intention to provide the Philippines with $ 100 million under the Foreign Military Financing (FMF) program for use in weapons modernization projects according to the needs of the Armed Forces of the Philippines," RIA Novosti quotes the US ambassador.
As the agency reminds, in August, the Ministry of Defense of the Philippines confirmed that it was canceling the deal on the purchase of 16 Russian Mi-17 helicopters with Sovtechnoexport LLC. As it was stated at the time, the reason for the cancellation of the deal by the Philippine government was "a change in priorities caused by changes in global politics."
The terminated contract worth 12.7 billion Philippine pesos (about $ 230 million) was signed by the Philippines with Russia in November last year.
