Syria is about to sign a $2 billion arms deal with the Soviet Union, financed by the oil-rich Persian Gulf states, Ha’aretz reported Tuesday.
According to the newspaper, the Syrian shopping list contains advanced fighter-bombers, including additional MIG-29 and Sukhoi-24 aircraft; advanced ground-to-air missiles, ballistic missiles, which would be in addition to the North Korean Scuds recently supplied Syria; and advanced-model Soviet T-72 tanks and various other types of armored vehicles.
If consummated, the deal would be one of Syria’s biggest arms purchases in recent years.
According to Ha’aretz, the types of missiles the Soviets would sell Syria is not clear. Under an arms pact concluded between Moscow and Washington, the superpowers are to refrain from selling medium-range missiles.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
