Russia Negotiates Missiles Sale to Syria

[N.Y. Johnny]

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV, Associated Press Writer

MOSCOW - The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that Moscow was negotiating the sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria but insisted they couldn't be used as shoulder-fired weapons, an apparent bid to assuage U.S. and Israeli concerns they might fall into the hands of terrorists.






The ministry said in a statement that talks were under way on the sale of Strelets air defense missile systems. It didn't say how many missiles would be sold to Syria or give any other details.


On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (news - web sites) said he was told by President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) that Russia would go ahead with the sale despite Israeli misgivings.


Both Israel and the United States have been angered by the prospect of Russia selling Syria air-defense missiles, which they say could be obtained by terrorists.


"We, of course, worry about that and don't think that that should have happened," Sharon said Tuesday. Israel is in contact with the Russians "to settle this issue, and ensure that these weapons don't reach terror organizations located in Lebanon," he said.


The Defense Ministry defended the deal Wednesday, saying that "international agreements place no restrictions" on the sale of such missiles. The Strelets system is a vehicle-mounted launcher for Igla-type missiles.


Russia and the United States are to sign an agreement to tighten control over sales of portable anti-aircraft missiles, such as U.S. Stinger or Russia's Igla, during a Feb. 24 summit between Putin and President Bush (news - web sites) in Bratislava, Slovakia.


A senior U.S. diplomat said Monday the United States believes Russia should not provide any military assistance to Syria, and should be careful about missile systems that could destabilize the situation if they fell into terrorist hands, especially amid new hopes for Mideast peace.


In an apparent bid to avert U.S. questions about the deal, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday that missiles from the Strelets system couldn't be used separately from the launcher as shoulder-fired weapons.


Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has repeatedly denied plans to sell shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, most recently on Saturday.


Pavel Felgenhauer, an independent military analyst, said the Igla was a more potent weapon compared to earlier Soviet-built heat-seeking shoulder-fired missiles that inundated the Middle East. Unlike them, the Igla can't be diverted by decoy flares launched by aircraft, he said.


Felgenhauer added that Russia would likely offer other types of weapons to Syria, which purchased billions of dollars in weapons from Moscow during the Soviet times.


"This deal looks like only the beginning," Felgenhauer said.


Ruslan Pukhov, the head of Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, an independent think-tank specialized in arms trade, said Moscow would likely offer Syria more powerful Tor air-defense missiles.


A spokesman for Rosoboronexport state arms-trading company refused to comment on the deal involving Strelets or other potential contracts with Syria.


Syrian President Bashar Assad defended his nation's right to buy anti-aircraft missiles from Russia during a visit to Moscow last month. Russia also agreed to write off nearly three-quarters of Syria's $13.4 billion debt — a move expected to help bolster military ties.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...u/russia_syria



Sell Arms like these missiles and other weapons To Syria? This can't be a good thing

[MannyIsGod]

You should look at the kind of stuff WE export.

[Nbadan]

Sell Arms like these missiles and other weapons To Syria? This can't be a good thing

You didn't think that the Russians and Chinese were gonna sit around for long and watch the NeoCons try and take control of the world's energy resources now where you?