MOSCOW, AUG 29: Russia will sell advanced SU-30-MKK fighter jets to China as part of an arms deal worth two billion dollars, one of the largest defense contracts won by Russia in recent years, the Interfax news agency reported on Sunday.The news agency quoted sources close to Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov as saying that the deal was reached in Beijing following meetings of a Russia-Chinese commission for economic cooperation over the weekend.A number of civilian and military agreements were signed following the talks held Saturday between Chinese officials and the Russian delegation led by Klebanov, the news agency added.News of the huge defense deal surfaced earlier this month when the Kommersant business daily said a tentative deal for the sale of 60 SU-30-MKK fighters had been reached.Experts say the SU-30 is a twin-seater multi-purpose warplane designed to compete directly with the US air force's F-15, and is equipped with in-flight refuelling and ground attack capabilities.ChinesePresident Jiang Zemin and Russian President Boris Yeltsin pledged last week to broaden a `strategic partnership' following a meeting in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan . In Beijing, the Xinhua news agency said that Klebanov and Jiang had emphasized the need to develop `global multi-polarization' during the meeting.
