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Russia and Israel draw closer with new military deal
Russia and Israel have signed a framework military cooperation deal, in which they discussed military and weapons cooperation which could lead to further purchases of Israeli weapons and technology.
Russian Defence minister Anatoly Serdyukov said, after meeting with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak, "We have just signed a long-term agreement on military cooperation."
"It's very important to us that in the transition to a new image, the Russian armed forces use the experience the Israeli armed forces have and the work they have done," Serdyukov reportedly said.
Serdyukov said Russia has bought 12 aircrafts, and is training 50 servicemen to operate them. The ministry was tight-lipped on revealing details of the agreement, which shows the closing ties of the two nations since the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.
Israel has requested to Russia not to sell any weapons to its enemies, namely Syria and Iran. Russia in turn promised not to deliver S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran while the new sanctions laid out by the United Nations are in place.
"Russia is a central power in the world, and a very dominant and influential force in the Middle East," Barak told Serdyukov, according to a statement.
