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Belarus The Defense Industry
Belarus's large defense industry has been severely hit
by the
country's cutbacks in imports of fuels and raw materials
as well
as by decreased demand for military products across the
former
Soviet Union in general. Because Belarus is now paying
higher
prices for its fuels and raw materials, the cost of its
products
has increased, prompting a decrease in purchases not only
by
Russia but by other former Soviet republics as well.
Conversion
to civilian industry has not been quick or successful, as
is the
case across the former Soviet bloc. The defense industry
in
Belarus hopes Russia will give it more business now that
Belarus
is paying some of the costs of maintaining Russian troops
on
Belarusian soil. Belarus has also tried to increase its
arms
markets. In mid-1995 arms deals Iran and the People's
Republic of
China were pending.
Data as of June 1995
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