The World - News from April 14, 1987

Kuwait has agreed to charter tankers from the Soviet Union in a move to protect its oil exports through the war-torn Persian Gulf, diplomatic sources said. The sources said they expect three Soviet tankers to initially reinforce Kuwait’s 22-tanker fleet. They knew of no deal for Moscow to provide a naval escort for its own vessels, but one diplomat said, “the idea of protection is implicit.” The diplomat said Soviet cargo ships bound for Kuwait to unload arms and materiel for road delivery to Iraq have sailed under escort.