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Russia steps up arms sales effort in Middle East

MOSCOW -- Russia has renewed its effort to sell weapons to Syria and other Arab countries.

Russia's Promexport, a state company, has offered Algeria, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Syria and Yemen $150 million worth of military communications equipment. The proposal received the approval of the Defense Ministry in Moscow, executives told the Interfax news service.

In April, Russia and Syria failed to agree on a $2 billion weapons deal that included the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, new fighter-jets and jets. Russian sources said the failure stemmed from Syria's refusal to pay for the weapons upon delivery.

Russian sources said the Syrians continue to pay for Russian weapons, but largely through unofficial sources.

The Russian offer to Yemen follows Sanaa's search for Soviet weapons in markets throughout the former East Bloc. This includes negotiations with Czech and Poland.

Diplomats said Yemen is apparently reselling the aging Soviet equipment to Sudan. On Wednesday, Yemen and Sudan signed a commercial pact that diplomats believe increase the chances of weapons bought by Sanaa.

Czech has decided to sell 90 T-55 tanks to Yemen, following a sale of 50 Polish tanks to Sanaa. Twenty of the tanks from Poland have ended up in Sudan.

In an unrelated development, Jordanian officials on Tuesday denied an Israeli newspaper report that an Israeli defense contractor sold the Hashemite kingdom light arms and ammunition.