At the Baghdad Hotel, the two sides had a warm and friendly conversation in the large meeting room.

On the Iraqi side, President Saddam, Vice President Taha, Defense Minister Adnan, and His Excellency Qusay, of the Southern Military Region, warmly welcomed the visiting guests as hosts.

On the Soviet side, Mikhail Gorbachev, member of the Central Committee of the CPSU and secretary in charge of agriculture, Nikolai Alexandrovich Tikhonov, chairman of the Council of Ministers, Lekovich, deputy minister of logistics, Barkovsky, Soviet ambassador to Iraq, and others.

"Mr. Gorbachev's visit to our country this time has confirmed the great friendship between our two countries, and I would like to extend my welcome to all of you on behalf of Iraq." Saddam said.

"The Soviet Union and Iraq have quite friendly relations, and we have extensive cooperation in various fields, and this time, we have come to Iraq with the friendship of the Soviet people, hoping that Soviet-Iranian relations can be further developed." Gorbachev said.

After saying these innocuous and purely polite words a few times, the two sides gradually shifted to the major state affairs they were concerned about.

"Iraq played a big role in Israel's invasion of Lebanon, using oil as a weapon, successfully resisting the intervention of Western countries, and finally getting Israel to withdraw its troops, Iraq, as a major country in the Middle East, has set a good example for other countries." Gorbachev said.

These words were very useful to Saddam, who said: "We have used oil as a weapon, and although we have not notified your country in advance, your country has also played an important role in it, and on behalf of us Arabs, I would like to thank your country for your help." ”

Oil production in the Middle East has been reduced, but other countries still export oil, the largest of which is the Soviet Union!

The Soviet Union was a vast country with abundant oil resources, especially at the end of the sixties, when huge oil reserves were discovered and exploited in Western Siberia. During the outbreak of the first oil crisis, international oil prices quadrupled, and the Soviet Union, as the world's leading oil exporter, made huge profits. The huge hard currency gains from oil and gas exports provided the Soviet Union with valuable financial resources to stay afloat, otherwise it would have gone bankrupt.

The Soviet Union was the second largest exporter of oil in the world after Saudi Arabia, with 154 million tons in 1979 to Western European countries.

After the Middle East oil-producing countries announced production cuts and embargoes, the Soviet Union began to gradually reduce its oil exports and increase inventories, which invisibly added fuel to the fire, and international oil prices soared.

Hearing Saddam say this, Gorbachev did not feel embarrassed, because the relationship between countries is originally one of mutual use.

"We have always opposed Israel's occupation of Palestine, which is a naked aggression, and we support such actions by friendly countries in the Middle East." Gorbachev said.

"Moreover, our weapons have once again shown their might in this war," Lekovich said: "The Syrian army has successfully knocked out many Israeli warplanes with our Sam-6 missiles, and the MiGs of their air force have also shot down many American-made planes equipped with the Israeli Air Force. ”

Zhang Feng really wanted to sneer on the side, if it weren't for his own credit this time, the SAM-6 would have been completely discredited in this battle, and your second-generation aircraft would be more advanced than the third-generation aircraft of the United States? What an international joke!

If it were possible, Zhang Feng really wanted to pull out his jamming machine and fly around the Soviet Union's national border to see how the other side reacted.

However, this is not possible.

Zhang Feng remembered a sentence he saw in his previous life, the so-called politics is an art of how to talk nonsense, and the purpose of the other party's visit this time is very clear, that is, he doesn't want to get too close to the United States!

In later generations, the superpower can dictate to other countries, and the current Soviet Union, although not so aggressive, has already made the meaning of the performance obvious.

"Your country's weapons are very advanced." "Your Excellency the President has adopted one of our proposals to introduce a production line of T-72 tanks from your country," Zhang Feng said. ”

As soon as the words came out, everyone froze.

President Saddam Hussein looked at his second son beside him, and his puzzled eyes revealed such a message: When did I say that I was going to introduce the production line of T-72? And Cusay, who was beside him, looked at him expectantly.

Saddam Hussein suddenly remembered that at the meeting a few days ago, Qusai said this, and he agreed with it and said that he completely agreed, but at that time, Qusai only said that he would introduce Soviet tanks, and he should have let him finish his words at that time!

This son of his own, how can he like to introduce the production line in everything, and now he will spend a lot of foreign exchange! Although Saddam Hussein had a trace of dissatisfaction in his heart, under such circumstances, how could he expose his own problems in front of the Soviets?

Now, everyone in the outside world knows that Qusay is the successor he has cultivated, and what he said on such an occasion, Saddam Hussein knows that he will definitely not be able to change his words.

The production line is the production line, but will the Soviets agree?

Zhang Feng knew that he just seized the opportunity this time, and he only needed to confess to his father again, that's how you promised me at the beginning, who told you not to let me finish speaking!

The Soviets were also surprised, because this request of the other party was a bit too big!

Since he was in charge of agriculture, Gorbachev did not know much about these things, so he glanced at Lekovich, who understood and said: "We have provided T-72 tanks to your country at the best price, and our country has never exported an example of a tank production line, so I am very sorry." ”

Haven't ever exported a tank production line? That's a good reason!

Zhang Feng said: "Really? How did I hear that your country is negotiating with India about the export line? ”

The Soviet Union was in the purpose of confronting that eastern power, and took great care of India in the South Asian subcontinent, not only giving priority to the other side to equip T-72 tanks, but also exporting a tank production line to the other side.

Although at present, this contract has not yet been negotiated, Zhang Feng, who comes from later generations, is naturally very clear about these things.

When this was said, the Soviets were shocked.

"No, absolutely impossible." "It's just exported to India for an overhaul line, not a production line," Lekovic said. ”

Hearing Lekovich's words, Saddam Hussein was upset. Saddam Hussein attached great importance to relations with the Soviet Union, but if the other party fooled himself, Saddam Hussein was also very dissatisfied, he always thought that his relationship with the Soviet Union was very strong, but he did not expect that the Soviet Union was unwilling to provide itself with even the things that India had?

It seems that this production line really has to come over with the other party!

What kind of overhaul line, production line, Saddam Hussein did not understand, he only knew that the Soviets engaged in two standards for Iraq and India in arms sales.

When Gorbachev heard this, he also felt that this matter was a bit inauthentic, and in his eyes, Iraq was more important than India.

In the strategy of the Soviet Union, it is dependent on India to balance a certain country in the East, because in the process of the Soviet Union's foreign expansion, this Eastern country does not buy it, but Gorbachev does not agree with these practices of Khrushchev, Brezenev and others, they do it beautifully, but the economy of the Soviet Union is dragged by this arms race, and the economy of the Soviet Union also has problems of its own, and the economy of this country in the East has been reformed, and now it is radiating new vitality, he knows that if the Soviet Union wants to develop, it must be reformed. It is very important to learn from the experience of that country in the East.

Iraq, on the other hand, is related to the Soviet Union's Middle East strategy, and if Iraq turns to the United States, it will be a disaster for the Soviet Union, and if his trip is not a complete success, it will not add a new weight to his political resume.

"If your country can sell the overhaul line to India, why can't you sell it to us? Are we not even as good as India? We have always attached importance to our relations with your country, and we hope that your country will not engage in two sets of standards. Zhang Feng continued to add fuel to the fire, anyway, he is a young man, if he speaks ugly, he is stunned, if he says it nicely, he can't speak, he also pretends to be stupid, just say it, if you don't put some pressure on the other party, things will not be easy to do.

"Besides, your country has begun to equip advanced T-80 tanks, which can surpass T-72 by a large margin, this T-72, originally in your country's plan, has been prepared to be exported in large quantities, and our country needs a large number, and the introduction of production lines can facilitate better and faster equipment, and our war requires us to have advanced tanks." Zhang Feng continued.

A series of words, with a certain amount of pressure and a certain amount of flattery, made the Soviet side speechless and had to nod.

Gorbachev once again signaled to Lekovich that he really did not understand this aspect, otherwise he would have said yes.

"The production line can be discussed, but tank guns and main armor have to be exported directly from our country." Lekovic said.

Tank gun and main armor is the main technology of a tank, the high bore pressure required by the tank gun determines the complexity of the production process of the tank gun, and the main armor is the core secret of the tank.

However, the armor of the T-72 is not very advanced, although it is also a sandwich biscuit (a layer of non-metallic material is added between two layers of steel plates), but the middle is not a ceramic material, some say it is carbon fiber, and some say it is sand.

And the tank gun, that must be thought of, this must have to be imported, and after eight or five years, a large number of technical experts can be dug up, and even talents and equipment will be needed, and now, they can only use each other's first.

Now, it's time to put up the shelves and gradually improve them later.

"Thank you very much for your help." Zhang Feng said: "Your country's tanks are very suitable for our country's environment, and they are more suitable than the tanks of Western countries. ”

(To be continued)