News In Brief

Kuwait defense minister pushing for Soviet arms

The Kuwaiti defense minister has begun meeting with Soviet military officials in an attempt to secure sophisticated weapons for Kuwait. Kuwait wants to increase its defenses to protect its oil shipments from attack in the Iran-Iraq war.

The Soviet Army chief of staff, Marshal Nikolai Ogarkov, met Monday in Moscow with the delegation of Kuwaiti Army and defense officials led by the defense minister, Sheikh Salem al-Sabah, the Tass news agency said. No details of the meeting were released. Sheikh Salem was also expected to meet with Soviet Defense Minister Dmitri Ustinov.

The week-long visit to Moscow follows the United States' refusal in May to sell Kuwait more Stinger antiaircraft missiles, citing concern they could by used against Israel.