Monday 16 February 2009

Saudi intelligence chief in Damascus for all-out bid to rescue Gaza truce

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

February 15, 2009, 9:46 PM (GMT+02:00)

Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud

The Saudi and Egyptian intelligence chiefs launched a dramatic bid Sunday night, Feb. 15, to maneuver Hamas into accepting Egyptian-Israel terms for an extended ceasefire in the Gaza Strip,DEBKAfile's Middle East sources disclose. In an unannounced visit to Damascus, Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the head of Saudi intelligence service, told Syrian president Bashar Assad that Riyadh and Cairo would shelve their quarrel with him if he coerced Hamas into accepting a truce. 
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Russia close to selling S-300 anti-air missiles to Iran for its nuclear sites

DEBKAfile Exclusive Report

February 15, 2009, 9:56 PM (GMT+02:00)

Iran's defense minister Mostafa Najar due in Moscow

Iran's defense minister Mostafa Najar due in Moscow

DEBKAfile's military sources report that Iran's defense minister Mostafa Najar travels to Moscow Monday, Feb. 16 to tie up the last ends of Tehran's purchase of a brigade of advanced Russian S-300 air defense missiles to guard its nuclear sites.

Their acquisition would make an air attack on Iran's nuclear facilities extremely difficult and dangerous - if not impossible. 
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