6 Oct 2017 14:51

Kremlin declines to give details of Saudi plans to buy S-400 systems from Russia, calls this issue sensitive

MOSCOW. Oct 6 (Interfax) - The Pentagon's concern over Riyadh's interest in Russian S-400 air-defense missile systems is unfounded because military-technical cooperation between Russia and Saudi Arabia is not directed against other countries, Moscow said.

"Indeed, the topic of military-technical cooperation was on the agenda of yesterday's Russian-Saudi talks at the highest level. I cannot give more details than what has already been said. Certainly, this topic is quite sensitive," Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov said when asked by reporters to comment on the newspaper Kommersant's report that Riyadh may buy at least four batteries of the S-400 Triumf air-defense missile system from Moscow.

"Work on these issues will continue," he said.

"Russian-Saudi relations have been developing primarily for the benefit of our two countries and in the interest of stability in the Arab world and the [Middle Eastern] region. Certainly, it is not directed against any other country," he said.

"We see any such remarks and concerns as unfounded," Peskov said.

A Pentagon representative said earlier that the U.S. is troubled by the interest displayed by some of its allies toward purchases of Russian S-400 air-defense missile systems.