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Malaysia PM in Moscow for Arms Talks
Malaysian Prime Minister Ahmad Badawi arrived in Moscow yesterday and will hold talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin today. Malaysia is a major arms buyer in Russia and may turn into one of Rosoboronexport's biggest markets in Southeast Asia. Kuala Lumpur and Moscow have close energy ties as well as members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. In addition, Badawi is the chairman of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, through which Russia hopes to make friends with the Islamic world.
Badawi arrived with his new wife (he became a widower in 2005) and the couple will are invited to the Kremlin this morning. The two leaders have much to talk about, particularly military hardware. Moscow and Kuala Lumpur concluded a contract for 18 SU-30 MKM planes in 2003 with special modifications for the Malaysian Air Force, and the first two of them were sent from Irkutsk to Kuala Lumpur on Monday. Another ten planes will be delivered this year, and the last six by October of next year. Rosoboronexport is participating in a number of other tenders held by the Malaysian military.
Russia and Malaysia are also members of the GECF. While no agreement on the formation of a pricing cartel was reached at the organization's April meeting in Doha, Moscow and Kuala Lumpur are developing close ties in energy. The Malaysian Petronas acquired a 1-percent share in Rosneft for $1.1 billion in July of last year, and Gazprom is now in negotiations with the Malaysian on joint gas production. Russia would also like to improve its standing in the Muslim world. It has observer status in the OIC, of which Badawi is chairman.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of June 19, 2007
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