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.