Negotiations for an arms deal between Lebanon and Russia has been disrupted due to the EU sanctions on Moscow over the Ukraine crisis, local daily As-Safir said Tuesday.
The report said the deal to buy anti-tank Kornet missiles, long-range multiple rocket launchers and spare parts faced technical and political hurdles due to the inability to transfer $38 million as part of the $1 billion Saudi grant to Russia over sanctions.
The same report, meanwhile, said Jordan's king will send a delegation to Beirut soon to survey its military needs, days after Lebanese Army commander Gen. Jean Kahwagi visited Amman.
Last month the Lebanese Army received a shipment of 30 tanks and 12 howitzers from Jordan.
A French military delegation is also in Beirut, holding meetings with senior Lebanese Army officers to discuss the final needs assessment report before French officers begin training Lebanese troops to use new weapons to be supplied to them as part of a separate $3 billion Saudi grant, announced in December 2013 by then-president Michel Sleiman.
