King Abdullah II
Photo: AP
Medvedev meets Assad
Photo: AP
Abdullah, Medvedev discuss cooperation
Jordanian king makes official visit to Moscow ahead of possible signing of collaboration agreement between countries
Russian-Jordanian cooperation received a "very strong push" with a visit conducted by King Abdullah II of Jordan to Moscow, the London-based al-Hayat reported Saturday.
Russian sources were quoted by al-Hayat as saying that both sides are willing to sign a new collaboration agreement.
The Jordanian king arrived Friday for an official visit to Russia after being invited by President Dmitry Medvedev. During his two-day stay Abdullah met with Russian Premier Vladimir Putin and discussed a number of subjects with him.
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On Friday Abdullah toured a Russian military camp near Moscow, where he was treated to a presentation of Russia's advanced weaponry. As part of the show, Abdullah watched the launching of a shoulder-held RPG-32 anti-missile rocket, still in experimental stages.
According to the report, the two countries plan to construct a model similar to the experimental rocket in Jordan. Jordanian officials said the rocket would provide for the country's military needs and that Jordan would receive product marketing rights in the Middle East and other regions.
The Jordanian king also plans to travel to the Black Sea coastal town of Sochi, where a meeting with Medvedev is scheduled for Sunday. Recently Medvedev visited Sochi in order to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad.
During the meeting, Assad offered Medvedev the right to deploy Russian missiles within Syrian territory, in response to US military involvement in Poland.
The Syrian president may have been referring to the Russian S-300 anti-plane missiles, which could threaten US aircrafts in the Middle East. The missiles, placed on Syrian territory, would also make an Israeli air strike more difficult.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Thursday that his country is considering fulfilling Assad's bid for new Russian artillery, but did not specify the type of weaponry Damascus has asked to buy.
Russia's Itar-Tas news agency reported Lavrov said the weapons were defense related, and "would not harm the region's strategic balance." The foreign minister spoke about the matter after a meeting with Medvedev and Assad.
