Putin visits Gulf

From DefenseNews

Posted 02/19/07 14:36

Putin Talks Arms, Nuclear Power in Gulf Visit

By NABI ABDULLAEV, MOSCOW

On the first tour by a Russian head of state to the Arabian Gulf countries, President Vladimir Putin offered weapons and nuclear power technologies to Saudi Arabia, coordination in trading in natural gas in Qatar, and sold arms and emerged as a power broker in Middle East affairs while in Jordan.

Putin traveled to the three Gulf countries Feb. 11-13, right after he blasted the United States and its “unilateralist” actions in Iraq during a speech at a defense conference in Munich. In public appearances and private meetings, the president used his trip to boost Moscow’s role in the region, and to promote a Russian alternative to U.S. foreign policy. Sources said at least some of Putin’s strategic proposals were met benevolently by traditional U.S. allies.

“The mere fact that Putin visited these important countries in the Middle East and especially Saudi Arabia, and the great respect he received from their leaders makes this tour a big success,” said Theodore Karasik, a Russian and Middle East political analyst at the RAND Corp. in Los Angeles. “Even though Putin did not sign significant defense deals or other commercial contracts right now, holding such high-level talks would pave the way for establishing strategic relations and lead to the signing of agreements on defense, nuclear and trade issues with the Arab Gulf countries.”

Talking Power and Arms in Riyadh

In Saudi Arabia, Putin offered to sell weapons and help it develop nuclear energy. In December, the Gulf Cooperation Council, a political and economic alliance of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, agreed to pursue nuclear energy technology in accordance with international non-proliferation regulations.

Arab leaders have watched with interest Russia’s work on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant, which Moscow has pursued despite pressure from Western governments that suspect Tehran of developing nuclear weapons.

By standing strong on Bushehr, Russia is defending its reputation as a reliable exporter of nuclear energy technologies, and this increases Moscow’s chances to win nuclear-power contracts from Third World countries, said Ivan Safranchuk, an analyst with the Center for Defense Information, a U.S. think tank.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest importer of arms, has traditionally bought Western weapons but is looking to diversify its suppliers.

Speaking in front of a Saudi-Russian business forum on Feb. 12, Putin said, “We could develop new opportunities for cooperation in the metals sector, nuclear energy, high technology and joint participation in transport infrastructure development projects.”

The offers were received warmly by Saudi officials.

“There are no obstacles to cooperation between the two countries in all fields pertaining to ... armament and nuclear energy,” Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal told reporters Feb. 14, as quoted by Agence France-Presse.

Saud offered no details, but said Russian and Saudi officials talked about potential arms deals “in accordance with the kingdom’s requirements in terms of armaments and with what Russia can provide of the kingdom’s need for such equipment.”

The Russian state news agency ITAR-TASS reported Feb. 14 that talks continue on a potential sale of about 150 Russian T-90S tanks worth an estimated $1 billion.

The two countries are also discussing a Saudi purchase of four Kondor navigation satellites, which could be part of Russia’s GLONASS navigation system.

Deals in Amman

In Jordan, Putin’s warm personal relationship with King Abdullah II has helped bring about several small deals. So far, Jordan is the only one of the three countries visited by Putin that is engaged in arms trade with Russia.

Both leaders attended the formal Feb. 13 signing of a $25 million contract for six light multipurpose Ka-226 helicopters. The helicopters will be assembled in Jordan by the joint enterprise of Rosoboronexport subsidiary Oboronprom and Jordan’s year-old Orangeville Consultants.

In 2007, Russia will fulfill a 2005 contract to deliver two Il-76MF military cargo planes for $100 million. Jordan also is in talks to buy Russian anti-tank missiles, anti-aircraft missile systems and combat helicopters.

The two are working together on the advanced Bazalt multiple-use grenade-launcher; assembly is slated to begin this year in Jordan at the joint venture Jordan Russian Electronic Systems Co. (JRESCO), formed in 2005.

JRESCO is modernizing the Jordanian Army’s Scorpio light tanks, equipping them with Russian-made Kornet anti-tank missiles.

Also, Russia and Jordan signed Feb. 13 an agreement that foresees assembly in Jordan of Russian Lada cars, made by AvtoVAZ, a giant car manufacturer taken over by Rosoboronexport in 2005.

Toward a Gas Cartel?

Last month, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali-Hoseini Khamenei made waves by proposing to form a gas cartel with Moscow. Putin welcomed the idea during his stop in Qatar, which trails only Russia and Iran in natural-gas production.

Russia has used its ability to affect the global price of natural gas in its relations with former Soviet republics and Western Europe, prompting accusations from the West of “energy blackmail.”

Gazprom has already begun its expansion into gas-exporting countries, most notably Algeria, where Moscow struck a record $7.5 billion weapon deal last spring. The two countries have signed a variety of contracts that boost Gazprom’s presence in Algeria, the second-biggest gas supplier to Europe after Russia. •

Riad Kahwaji contributed to this report from Dubai.