Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev (R) and Jordan's King Abdullah, left, meet at the presidential residence at the Black Sea resort of Sochi, August 24, 2008.
Photo: Alexander Miridonov
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Jordan Needs More Weapons of Russia
Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev and Jordan's King Abdullah met in Sochi presidential residence August 24, 2008. The Jordan king is said to have requested Russia’s president to widen military and technical cooperation. Moscow is ready to cooperate, expecting the king to attract Russia’s companies to civil projects in return.
The relations of Russia and Jordan are “strategically vital for all region” of the Middle East, Medvedev emphasized during the meeting. So it isn’t surprising that it was the third time that Medvedev and King Abdullah met this year. So far, however, it is just the military and technical cooperation.
In 2006, Moscow granted to Jordan the state credit of nearly $390 million, and Jordan acquired the consignment of Cornet-E anti-tank systems and Igla missile-defense systems. Jordan’s Air Force will get two Il-76 combat transport planes next year.
Of interest is that Vladimir Putin once offered to Jordan to widen the loan to $1 billion. The king refused at first, but apparently changed the decision afterwards. Nowadays, he is inclined to borrow more, spending more money for weapons. The Moscow standing is that the partnership should extend to civil projects. Russian Railways (RZD), for instance, is interested in Amman’s plans to develop the railways, and the worth of that project reaches $2 billion.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Aug. 25, 2008
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