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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Russia 'to give' Lebanon war jets | Russia 'to give' Lebanon war jets |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Moscow is to give 10 MiG-29 fighter jets to Lebanon free of charge, says Russia's state news agency Interfax. | Moscow is to give 10 MiG-29 fighter jets to Lebanon free of charge, says Russia's state news agency Interfax. |
| The head of the Russia's defence cooperation body, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said the consignment was "a form of military and technical assistance". | The head of the Russia's defence cooperation body, Mikhail Dmitriyev, said the consignment was "a form of military and technical assistance". |
| "We view the Lebanese army as the main guarantor of this nation's stability, therefore the armed forces of this country must be strengthened," he said. | "We view the Lebanese army as the main guarantor of this nation's stability, therefore the armed forces of this country must be strengthened," he said. |
| Delivery of the jets to Lebanon will also be paid for by the Russians. | Delivery of the jets to Lebanon will also be paid for by the Russians. |
| Mr Dmitriyev said the jets would be fully repaired and upgraded before being delivered. | Mr Dmitriyev said the jets would be fully repaired and upgraded before being delivered. |
| He added that the two countries were also discussing a possible sale of Russian armour to Beirut, reported Reuters. He said this was possible because of Lebanon's recent stability. | |
| Lebanon's military capability is greatly outweighed by Arab neighbour Syria, with which is has a history of sometimes strained relations, and the Jewish state Israel which lies to the south. | Lebanon's military capability is greatly outweighed by Arab neighbour Syria, with which is has a history of sometimes strained relations, and the Jewish state Israel which lies to the south. |
| Lebanon and Israel have never signed a peace treaty and Israeli fighter jets continually violate Lebanese airspace in what the Israeli military describes as reconnaissance missions, but which are condemned by the United Nations. | Lebanon and Israel have never signed a peace treaty and Israeli fighter jets continually violate Lebanese airspace in what the Israeli military describes as reconnaissance missions, but which are condemned by the United Nations. |