Putin arrives in Malaysia, Sukhoi deal to be signed

Putin arrives in Malaysia, Sukhoi deal to be signed

Agence France-Presse, Kuala Lumpur

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Malaysia on Monday for an official visit during which he will hold talks with Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad and sign a US$900 million deal to supply 18 Sukhoi fighter jets, officials said.

Tight security was in place at Kuala Lumpur airport as Putin, making the first visit by a Russian head of state to this mainly Muslim Southeast Asian nation, was met by Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar.

Local media have pointed out gleefully that Putin is the third leader from major countries opposed to the Iraq war -- the so- called "coalition of the unwilling" -- to travel to Malaysia in recent months.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder visited in May and was followed by French President Jacques Chirac in July. Both occasions marked the first trips to Malaysia by leaders from the two countries.

Mahathir, 77, who plans to retire in October after 22 years in power, is a strong critic of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, predicting it will add to the perceived oppression of Muslims and fan the flames of global terrorism.

His outspoken comments have soured ties with Washington just a year after he was invited to the White House by President George W. Bush in recognition of his support in the so-called war on terrorism.

A Malaysian official at the Kuala Lumpur airport reception for Putin said Iraq would be high on the agenda in talks between the two leaders, along with economic issues.

The fighter jets form part of a major arms procurement spree by Malaysia, including a 1.035-billion-euro ($972 million) deal last year to buy three French submarines.