Saudi offers Russia arms deal to curb Iran ties: paper

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has offered to award major arms contracts to Russia in return for Moscow curtailing cooperation with Iran, Russia's Kommersant newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing unidentified diplomatic sources. The Kremlin declined to comment immediately on the report, as did Saudi Arabia's embassy in Moscow. Saudi Prince Bandar bin Sultan met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in Moscow for talks on Monday that focused on widening bilateral cooperation. Kommersant said Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal suggested Russia curtail its cooperation with Iran at a meeting in Moscow this February. The proposal was made to the Kremlin in the name of King Abdullah. "The Kingdom's leadership advised Moscow to phase out cooperation with Tehran and in return promised... [read full story]