Saudi Offers Russia Arms Deal To Curb Iran Ties

[Purveyor]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has offered to award Russia lucrative arms contracts if the Kremlin curtails cooperation with Iran, a Russian newspaper said on Tuesday, but Moscow denied the offer was tied to relations with Tehran.

Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow for talks on Monday that included the signing of a landmark deal on military cooperation.

A Russian government spokesman denied the deal was linked to Iran and said any attempt to tie cooperation with Riyadh to other issues was "not right and not proper".

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Kommersant said Saudi Arabia was interested in buying 150 T-90 tanks, 160 helicopters and air-defence systems for more than $2.2 billion (1.01 billion pounds). Russia's state arms exporter, seeking an inroad into a market that has been lucrative for Britain and other Western powers, declined to comment.

Bandar told Putin on Monday that ties with Moscow had become strategic and that he would propose the King's ideas for the economic, military, energy and security fronts.

"The Kingdom's policy is certainly always to diversify its sources of arms," Bandar told Al Arabiya television.

Russia, with its rising oil income, has been trying to increase its influence in the Middle East. It had played a bigger role there before the collapse of the Soviet Union.

"Russia is also developing its relations, its dialogue, with other countries in the region, including Iran," Russia's government spokesman said

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REUTERS: http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKL1572770320080715?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

[Purveyor]

1. More than likely, the Saudis are sick and tired of the AIPAC induced restrictions and obstructions

placed on Saudi/US weapon deals and are seeking out a more accommodating supplier.

The "Iranian" aspect just adds a nice touch to temper the outrage the weapon merchants in the US will undoubtedly have.