US, UK Companies Afraid to Take Part in Russia Arms Expo Due to Sanctions

© Sputnik / Pavel Lisitsyn / Go to the mediabankRussian Expo Arms - 2013
Russian Expo Arms - 2013 - Sputnik International
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Companies from the United States and the United Kingdom have declined to take part in the Russia Arms Expo (RAE-2015) because of anti-Russia sanctions, the deputy head of the host city’s machine building company said Wednesday.

YEKATERINBURG (Sputnik) – Aleksey Zharich, deputy chief executive of Uralvagonzavod (UVZ), told RIA Novosti that delegates from over 50 countries were expected in the city of Nizhny Tagil on September 9-12.

However, Zharich noted that US, British and certain French companies are "stepping away" from stands they reserved as far back as 2013.

"They are afraid of complaints from their countries’ leadership. They are not coming because they are told not to," he said.

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Zharich said that every US company that had committed to take part in RAE-2015 was now canceling its reservations.

"Of course there would have been more participants were it not for the sanctions, because they are prohibited from participating," the UVZ deputy CEO stressed.

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Among those who have expressed intentions of participating in the event, Zharich pointed to the United Arab Emirates and linked the Gulf nation’s interest in Russian arms to the rapid rise of the Islamic State jihadist group in the Middle East.

"Many of them are coming here to see our and other Russian manufacturers’ equipment because the situation is very serious: Islamic State has advanced considerably over the past five years," he argued.

UVZ, the world's largest main battle tank manufacturer, is the general coordinator of the expo, which this year marks its 10th anniversary.

At least 10 countries, including South Korea, Italy, France and Turkey, will be exhibiting at RAE-2015.

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