U.S. Leads Arms Sales to Mideast

The United States dominated arms sales to the Middle East last year, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the weapons flow into the region despite pledges of restraint, an international research group said.

U.S. sales to the region in the wake of the Persian Gulf War edged over $3 billion in 1991, said the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, far eclipsing all other arms suppliers. The figure marked an increase from the $2.8-billion figure posted in 1990. Primary U.S. customers were Israel, Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

At the same time, overall sales to the region declined, mostly because of a falloff in shipments from the Soviet Union, traditionally a leading supplier.