61.   It also would mean the loss of an important buyer of Russian arms and military equipment.

62.   It is the first time that an entire picture of Russian strategic nuclear arms deployment has been revealed.

63.   Izvestia said the Russian government was initially reluctant to approve the deal, fearing complications in relations with Arab countries that are major customers of Russian arms.

64.   Nadibaidze said Thursday that his visit to Moscow and his talks with Grachev touched only on questions of Russian arms deliveries to Georgia.

65.   Putin also defended efforts to increase Russian arms sales to Iran, saying the deals would not violate international agreements.

66.   Putin said Russian arms exporters have failed to score any significant progress in trying to expand sales to other countries.

67.   Russian arms control analysts expressed skepticism about the accord.

68.   Russian arms control researcher Igor Sutyagin is on trial on charges of spying for the United States and physicist Valentin Danilov is accused of spying for China.

69.   Russian military arms specialists will hold talks in Washington next Monday and Tuesday with a U.S. delegation headed by Undersecretary of Defense Douglas Feith.

70.   Russian arms companies have also focused on cheap upgrades of arms, partly because the Russian military cannot afford new planes and other arms.