BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

04/07/2007

Iran's defense chief visits Belarus as U.S. foes push cooperation

The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: Iran's defense chief arrived in Belarus for a visit Wednesday, Belarusian officials said, advancing ties between two U.S. foes and sparking speculation about potential arms deals.

Belarusian authorities revealed little about the purpose of Mostafa Mohammad Najjar's visit, less than two months after Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad traveled to the ex-Soviet republic and pledged solidarity in the face of foreign pressure.

The Belarusian Defense Ministry press service said officials would discuss "perspectives for cooperation." It said the Iranian delegation would "acquaint itself with the training system" in the Belarusian armed forces and "consider a range of issues of mutual interest."

An independent military analyst, Alexander Alesin, said he suspects Iran is interested in modernized Soviet-era anti-aircraft missile systems and in defense electronics.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has made himself a pariah in the West with his oppressive policies, and has courted other leaders at odds with the United States and European nations. Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez visited last week on a trip that also took him to neighboring Russia and to Iran.

Iran has bought weapons from Russia, which has close military and political ties with Belarus.

During Ahmadinejad's visit in May, Lukashenko said the two countries had a "strategic partnership" and Ahmadinejad hailed the "huge potential" for cooperation. With Belarus seeking alternatives to Russian energy supplies, a joint communique released during the visit indicated the countries would cooperate in development of an Iranian oil field and other petroleum-industry projects.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/04/europe/EU-GEN-Belarus-Iran.php