JAKARTA. Nov 23 (Interfax-AVN) - The Izhmash consortium will complete the contract on supplying 100,000 AK-103 Kalashnikov assault rifles to Venezuela by the year-end, the consortium's director for foreign economic activity Andrei Semyonov told Interfax-AVN on Thursday during the Indo Defense 2006 Expo & Forum in Jakarta.
"We shipped another batch of Kalashnikovs to Venezuela last month as planned. It is a large-scale contract, but we exercise supplies in strict compliance with the schedule. Before year-end we are sure to implement it in full," he said.
He added that the AK-103 is the latest and the most advanced version of the Kalashnikov assault rifle.
According to Semyonov, in parallel with the supplies of assault rifles, Izhmash is preparing manufacturing capabilities in Venezuela for license production of the weapon. "In a week's time the cornerstone will be laid in the groundwork of the Kalashnikov production plant during a ceremony in Venezuela," he said.
Venezuela has acquired a profound license providing for a full-cycle assembling of Kalashnikovs. "The plant will be launched in full-scale operation in about two years. The schedule of work is being adjusted now," Semyonov said. He added that Venezuela will be the first country in the world to license-produce the Kalashnikov of the 100th series. No AK-103s have ever been made abroad before.
Semyonov also said that license production of Kalashnikovs is a matter of negotiations with some other countries too, but refused to name the possible partners.
According to earlier reports, an ammo production plant will also be built in Venezuela.