The ME is the biggest market for weapons purchase for 1999

A report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London said on Thursday that the Middle East was the largest market for importing weapons during 1999 as its weapons purchases reached some US $ 10 billion.

The report said that Saudi Arabia was on the top of the list of the countries which imported the weapons and its purchases reached US $ 5.3 billion and then came Israel with purchases of US $ 1.5 billion, apart from the military aid it receives from Washington for free.

The report added that Iran has spent US $ 500 million to buy weapons and Egypt has imported weapons at a cost of US $ 700 million.

The report explained that the US is on top of countries exporting weapons to the region and then comes Russia, Britain, France and China, respectively.