Report: Military Delegation in Moscow for Talks on Arms Sale

A high-ranking military delegation is scheduled to travel to Moscow on Monday to continue discussions with Russian officials on the delivery of weapons to the Lebanese army, al-Joumhouria newspaper reported.

The daily said the Lebanese Army's Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Walid Suleiman will lead the delegation that is expected to further negotiate with Russia the purchase of arms and ammunition.

Al-Joumhouria said the talks between the two sides froze lately despite Moscow's promises to provide military aid to Lebanon, including tanks and helicopter gunships.

Any deal would most likely be financed by a $1 billion Saudi donation that was announced by al-Mustaqbal movement chief ex-PM Saad Hariri in August.

Last week, a French military delegation and officials at the Lebanese defense ministry reached a final agreement on the arms and ammunition that the army needs under another $3 billion Saudi grant.

France and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement at the start of November for Paris to provide the Lebanese military with the $3 billion worth of weapons paid for by Riyadh.

The deal, which was first announced last December, aims to boost the army as it struggles to contain a rising tide of violence linked to the civil war in Syria.