U.S. Prepared To Send M-60 To Lebanon

NICOSIA [MENL] -- The United States has agreed to transfer surplus main
battle tanks to Lebanon.
Lebanese sources said the Defense Department has agreed to send dozens
of M-60A3 MBTs to bolster the 72,000-member Lebanese Army. The sources said
the first M-60s were expected to arrive in Lebanon over the next six months.
"The Bush administration has approved the transfer and will recommend
this to the incoming administration," a Lebanese source said.
The sources said the administration relayed its decision to the
government of Prime Minister Fuad Siniora on the eve of a Lebanese-Russian
defense summit. Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Murr was scheduled to
arrive in Moscow on Dec. 15 to discuss Russian arms sales to Beirut.