UNITED ARAB EMIRATES PURCHASE 1 BILLION DOLLARS' WORTH OF ARMS FROM RUSSIA








ABU DHABI, March 13 /from RIA Novosti's Igor Kuznetsov/ - The UAE has purchased from Russia weapons to a sum of more than 1 billion dollars, said the Saudi newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat on Tuesday. According to the paper, in 1982 and 1996, the emirates signed agreements on 400 and 200 BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles, respectively. Under the contracts, half of the stipulated sum was to go to repay Russian debts to the UAE. 


	Describing military technological cooperation between the UAE and Russia, the paper recalled that the first contract for arms purchase was signed by the UAE with the USSR in 1987, for the delivery of Igla anti-aircraft systems. The article also mentions new arms deals, including, for example, a contract signed last May to supply 50 mobile Pantsyr-1 anti-aircraft systems and also Tunguska-1M anti-aircraft missiles.