NATO Restrictions Prompt A Turn to New Arms Sources: Malaysia Near Deal On Russian Aircraft 
International Herald Tribune
December 17, 1992
Michael Richardson 

Malaysia appears close to a decision to end its reliance on Western arms by buying jet fighters and attack helicopters from Russia, partly because the United States and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries put restrictions on the sale of advanced weapons to developing nations.

The Malaysian defense minister, Najib Razak, said that Russia had offered to supply its most sophisticated aircraft, engines, avionics and missiles at substantially cheaper prices than their Western counterparts.

Mr. Najib also seemed to rule out U.S. and French planes as serious contenders in the competition with the Russian MiG-29 to provide Malaysia with a new generation air defense fighter.

He said that a number of weapons used by the U.S. Air Force and Navy would not be permitted for Malaysia, which is not a NATO nation.

Certain types of U.S. equipment, such as C-130 transport planes and F-5 fighters in service with the Malaysian armed forces, were readily available.

"But if we want Phoenix air-to-air missiles, there are a lot of questions," he said in an interview. "I am not sure whether things like that would be allowed for Malaysia."

Western military officials said Malaysia was expected to buy about perhaps 24 MiG-29s and six Hind helicopter gunships from Russia in a deal worth more than $500 million.

The end of the Cold War and the emergence of a democratic government in Moscow has given Malaysia the flexibility to turn away from traditional arms suppliers in the West.

Some Malaysian analysts also link the turn to Russia as part of an anti-Western attitude, particularly toward the United States, that Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad has adopted on a number of issues.

However, Mr. Najib denied any such motivation, saying that Malaysia continued to have close cooperation with the United States in defense, trade, investment and education.

"Our criticism of the U.S. is issue-oriented," he said. "It is not anti-American per se.," he said.

A sale to Malaysia would be the first to Southeast Asia by Russia, which is promoting arms sales to gain foreign exchange to pay for imports.

Analysts said it would be an important breakthrough in Russian attempts to challenge the dominance of Western arms suppliers in the Asia-Pacific region.

"The Russians want to break into this market because it is one of the few areas of the world where military sales are growing," said a Western defense attaché. "If Malaysia successfully operates Russian combat aircraft, other non-Communist countries in Asia might follow."

China is already a significant customer for Russian arms, and further sales are likely to be discussed during a visit to Beijing by Boris N. Yeltsin, the Russian president, starting Thursday.

Analysts said that the Philippines, Indonesia, South Korea and Vietnam were also potential customers for Russian military equipment.

The Russian news agency Interfax quoted Defense Ministry sources in Moscow last week as saying that talks were under way with South Korea for the sale of multiple-rocket launchers, anti-aircraft systems, the Su-25 ground attack aircraft and the Su-27 interceptor.

Interfax also quoted Pyotr O. Aven, the Russian trade economic relations minister, as saying that Moscow "had effectively" reached an agreement with Malaysia on the sale of 30 MiG-29's.

However, Mr. Najib said that negotiations had not been concluded, although he hoped that a final decision could be made soon, once remaining technical questions about the operating life of the MiG-29 engine and maintenance of the aircraft were resolved.

He said that Kuala Lumpur was insisting that it be given the training to service and repair the MiG-29 in Malaysia.

"The primary concern is the future reliability of Russia as a defense supplier," said Mak Joo Nam, senior military analyst at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies in Kuala Lumpur.

India, which bought both MiG-29s and Hind helicopter gunships from the former Soviet Union, complained this year about a shortage of spare parts because of disorganization of the defense industry following the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Mr. Najib said that there had been "a lot of disinformation" about the MiG-29, which he linked to "certain sectors that are not comfortable" about Malaysia buying the aircraft.

He noted that Malaysia had bought arms from Britain and the United States in the past. "Even if we buy from the Russians," he said, "it does not preclude us buying from the Americans for certain other types of products which are available to us."

But Mr. Najib asserted that the United States had not made a convincing approach to Malaysia over the sale of the F-16 and F-18 fighters as competitors to the MiG-29.

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