Syria Plans
Arms Deal
With Russia
London, (JTA)
Syria is expected to conclude a massive
arms deal with Russia later this month
that strategic analysts say will signifi-
candy erode, though not actually
destroy, Israel's qualitative military edge.
The deal, estimated to be worth
between $2 billion and $3 billion, has
been in the works for two yea—rs and is
expected to be sealed when Syrian
Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas leads a
high-level Syrian delegation to
Moscow for 10 days of intensive talks
in late February.
Among the Russian weapons sys-
tems Syria is reportedly seeking are
Sukhoi-27 fighter aircraft, T-80
tanks, S-300 anti-aircraft and anti-
missile SAM systems. The SAMs are
said to be equivalent to U.S. Patriot
missiles.
This latest deal will be significant
for Syria on several counts, according
to leading Arab strategic analyst
Kassem Mohammad Jaafar.
On one level, he told the London-
based daily newsletter Mideast
Mirror, it would constitute the first
major military deal Syria has conclud-
ed with Russia since the demise of the
Soviet Union, marking the resump-
tion of strategic cooperation between
Damascus and Moscow.
On another level, the acquisition of
state-of-the-art weapons by the Syrian
armed forces would greatly enhance
Syria's military capability, said Jaafar,
who added that the Sukhoi-27 is
regarded as equivalent, if not superior,
to the U.S.-made F-15 fighter jets that
Israel currently has in its arsenal.
Moreover, the T-80 is one of the
newest generation of tanks, while the
S-300 system would enable Syria to
defend itself against both missile and
air strikes.
Equally important are other
aspects of the deal, which involve the
supply of spare parts, the upgrading
of weapons systems and the support
and modernization of Syria's armed
forces.
Moreover, the deal will return
Russia as a major player in the
Middle East, an ambition that is
believed to have been accelerated
since the appointment last
September of veteran Arabist
Yevgeny Primakov as Russian prime
minister.
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