Chad's president says he's buying weapons

[OMEN]

Chadian President Idriss Deby addresses a news conference Tuesday in the capital N'djamena.
PARIS, France -- Chad wants to use money from oil sales to buy weapons and is expecting a new arms delivery in the next few days, President Idriss Deby said in a newspaper interview published on Wednesday.

Rebels fighting to end Deby's rule over the landlocked central African oil producer attacked the capital last week and have vowed to disrupt a presidential poll on May 3 in which Deby is standing for a third term after nearly 16 years in power.

Deby, who accuses neighboring Sudan of funding and arming the rebels, said Chad needed the weapons to defend itself.

"Which country in the world wouldn't want to buy arms to defend itself if it had the money? Why shouldn't Chad be allowed? We are going to buy weapons. We're going to do it openly. In the next two days these arms will arrive," Deby told France's Le Figaro daily newspaper.

The World Bank froze the royalties from oil production because Chad broke an agreement that required some of the revenues to be used for programs to help the poor.

Asked if Chad wanted to use the blocked money to buy weapons, Deby said, "That's right."

In a second interview, with France's Le Monde newspaper, Deby blamed the World Bank for all of the economic woes of his impoverished country.

"The sum we want to use is smaller than what the World Bank spends each day on communication," he told Le Monde, referring to his government's general plans for spending.

"The only one responsible for our economic difficulties is the World Bank. The crisis was provoked by the World Bank turning off the tap to our finances."

The bank provided financial support for a $3.7 billion pipeline carrying crude to the Gulf of Guinea for export. It was touted as a test case for oil revenue management in Africa.

The pipeline, which produces 160,000-170,000 barrels per day, is operated by U.S. oil companies Exxon Mobil and Chevron, and Malaysia's Petronas.

Chad has threatened to halt oil production unless the royalties are released by the end of the month. (Watch what's fueling impasse in Chad - 2:38)

A spokesman for France's Foreign Ministry urged the two sides to come to an agreement.

"We continue to hope that the World Bank and the authorities in Chad will pursue dialogue on the use of oil resources that leads to an agreement that is satisfactory to both parties," Jean-Baptiste Mattei said.

Reuters.

[Stunner]

Chad needed the weapons to defend itself. See my country needs useless guns too,!