Saudi Woos Russia With Arms Contracts
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Saudi Woos Russia With Arms Contracts
Kommersant: Saudi Arabia wants to save Middle East from Iranian threat
Prince Saud al Faisal, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, yesterday tried to convince President Vladimir Putin that the strengthening of Iran could seriously destabilize the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia said that if Russia cut ties with Iran, it promised to make large arms orders and boost bilateral cooperation to $50 billion within five years.
According to the Saudi plan to save the Middle East from the "Iranian threat," Russia should break cooperation with Tehran, primarily in the nuclear and defense spheres. Riyadh also expects Moscow to stop protecting Iran from Western pressure in the UN Security Council and other international organizations.
Saudi Arabia knows that its plan will cause major financial and moral losses for Moscow, and has promised compensation.
According to the business newspaper Kommersant, Riyadh intends to take Tehran's place in military and technical cooperation with Russia. This year, it could sign a contract for the delivery of more than 100 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles worth approximately $200 million, and some 150 T-90S main battle tanks for $600 million.
Saudi Arabia is also negotiating the acquisition of 161 helicopters, such as the Mi-17 Hip medium multirole helicopter, the Mi-35 Hind attack/transport helicopter, and the Mi-26 Halo heavy transport helicopter, for a total of $1.6 billion.
Riyadh is planning to create a comprehensive air defense system, which promises major contracts for the Russian defense industry. It is ready to buy nearly everything it needs in Russia, from portable air defense missile systems and the Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) truck mounted system, to the S-400 long-range AD missile system.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia does not intend to limit itself to defense contracts; it has offered Russia strategic economic cooperation. Saud al Faisal proposed in Moscow a major agreement on developing guidelines for economic cooperation, which provides for increasing bilateral trade and mutual investment to $50 billion within five years. It was less than $250 million in 2006.
Saudi Arabia intends to confirm its intentions at an investment forum of the two countries' largest companies, which Riyadh has proposed holding in the near future. And lastly, it is prepared to lift its protests against Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Nezavisimaya Gazeta
Prince Saud al Faisal, the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, yesterday tried to convince President Vladimir Putin that the strengthening of Iran could seriously destabilize the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia said that if Russia cut ties with Iran, it promised to make large arms orders and boost bilateral cooperation to $50 billion within five years.
According to the Saudi plan to save the Middle East from the "Iranian threat," Russia should break cooperation with Tehran, primarily in the nuclear and defense spheres. Riyadh also expects Moscow to stop protecting Iran from Western pressure in the UN Security Council and other international organizations.
Saudi Arabia knows that its plan will cause major financial and moral losses for Moscow, and has promised compensation.
According to the business newspaper Kommersant, Riyadh intends to take Tehran's place in military and technical cooperation with Russia. This year, it could sign a contract for the delivery of more than 100 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles worth approximately $200 million, and some 150 T-90S main battle tanks for $600 million.
Saudi Arabia is also negotiating the acquisition of 161 helicopters, such as the Mi-17 Hip medium multirole helicopter, the Mi-35 Hind attack/transport helicopter, and the Mi-26 Halo heavy transport helicopter, for a total of $1.6 billion.
Riyadh is planning to create a comprehensive air defense system, which promises major contracts for the Russian defense industry. It is ready to buy nearly everything it needs in Russia, from portable air defense missile systems and the Pantsir-S1 (SA-22 Greyhound) truck mounted system, to the S-400 long-range AD missile system.
Moreover, Saudi Arabia does not intend to limit itself to defense contracts; it has offered Russia strategic economic cooperation. Saud al Faisal proposed in Moscow a major agreement on developing guidelines for economic cooperation, which provides for increasing bilateral trade and mutual investment to $50 billion within five years. It was less than $250 million in 2006.
Saudi Arabia intends to confirm its intentions at an investment forum of the two countries' largest companies, which Riyadh has proposed holding in the near future. And lastly, it is prepared to lift its protests against Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
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This could get interesting. On the one hand, the sort of major financial incentives - immediate sales and long term co-operation - that would make most heads of state and businessmen bite the hand off all the way down to the ankle, plus an opportunity to head towards more mature relations with the West, who after all consume more of Russia's gas than anyone else, and to keep the arms industry going for a while longer.
On the other, Russia's nuclear bosses won't be happy; Iran may suggest that some of the maniacs who've been murdering their way around Iraq/Afg could find their way to opening a new front along Russia's southern borders; there's bound to be suspicion that the Americans have had a hand in the proposal and will get access to the most sensitive kit, and snubbing Iran lets China take over as major arms supplier. With Saudi wallowing in cash and America and the UK falling over themselves to sell hardware to the Saudis would Putin ever believe that Russia could compete to a significant degree ?
On the other, Russia's nuclear bosses won't be happy; Iran may suggest that some of the maniacs who've been murdering their way around Iraq/Afg could find their way to opening a new front along Russia's southern borders; there's bound to be suspicion that the Americans have had a hand in the proposal and will get access to the most sensitive kit, and snubbing Iran lets China take over as major arms supplier. With Saudi wallowing in cash and America and the UK falling over themselves to sell hardware to the Saudis would Putin ever believe that Russia could compete to a significant degree ?
