Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez sent a replica of the sword of Liberator Simón Bolívar as a gift to Mikhail Kalashnikov, the Russian inventor of assault rifle AK-103, the most widely used firearm in the world. Kalashnikov was celebrating his 90th birthday.
The award of the sword, which has hundreds of gemstones and diamonds embedded, is one of the highest honors granted by the Venezuelan government, according to Russian official news agency Itar-Tass, Efe reported.
The sword replica is usually given as a gift to political leaders who have contributed to improve relations with Venezuela.
President Chávez met with Kalashnikov in July 2006. Then, he said: "The Kalashnikov assault rifle is the best weapon in the world and is the banner of the Venezuelan Armed Forces."
Venezuela bought in 2005 about 100,000 Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifles.
Link:
http://english.eluniversal.com/2009/11/11/en_pol_art_chavez-awards-replic_11A3038731.shtml
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