Posted on 01/13/2005 1:55:57 PM PST by knighthawk
Russia has denied it has any plans to sell missiles to Syria amid media reports and the US cautioning Moscow that such a move could invite sanctions.
US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher on Wednesday said Washington could consider sanctions against Russia if the reported sale of the sophisticated SS-26 Iskander missiles with ability to hit any target in Israel goes through.
"The US policy on this is very clear," Boucher said. "We are against the sale of weaponry to Syria, against the sale of lethal military equipment to Syria, which is a state sponsor of terrorism."
He said the US was aware of reports a deal was brewing and "we think those kinds of sales are not appropriate... The Russians know about this policy. They know about our views."
But Russia denied it had any such plans.
Potential sale
US Secretary of State Colin Powell also raised the reported sale in talks during the day with Russian Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov.
Powell raised the potential sale with Ivanov in the context of a broader discussion of proliferation, a US official said, adding: "The secretary reiterated longstanding US policy."
The Russian media carried reports of the planned sale as Syrian President Bashar al-Asad prepares to visit Russia later this month for talks with President Vladimir Putin.
However, Ivanov categorically denied any plans for such a sale.
"We have no talks with Syria about such missiles," he said. "There are no negotiations under way with Syria."
Israel accuses Syria of backing Hizb Allah and Palestinian resistance fighters. Israel's Channel Two television said Russia planned to sell Syria arms including an unspecified number of SA-18 shoulder-fired missiles, which could threaten Israeli aircraft over Syria and southern Lebanon.
On vacation
The Russian daily Kommersant said the sale included Iskander-E ground-to-ground missiles, which would bring most of Israel into Syria's range.
According to Kommersant, Israel recalled its ambassador from Moscow in protest. But a spokesman for the Israeli foreign ministry said the ambassador had not been recalled and was in Israel on vacation.
Syria has not been seen by military analysts as a major strategic threat to Israel since the collapse of its main patron, the Soviet Union.
Ping
Needs a Baghdad Bob pic, methinks...
There are no pictures because they took no pictures because they needed no pictures get the picture!
The trial baloon popped. Putin has been getting enough negative publicity lately -- he did not want to OPENLY (as opposed to covertly) be seen as a contributor to the war-mongers of the ME. Although he is, as we saw with SH.
You are assuming that al-Jazeera is reporting the story accurately. This is as reliable as a Syrian denial, which is to say not reliable at all.
He tried to handle the subject with kid gloves and it blew up in his face.
Syria and Russia would not try to deceive the US, the US would not try to deceive Syria and Russia by letting them think they had been deceived. How deceitful!
related:
Crisis in Israel-Russia Ties
Jpost
Posted on 01/12/2005 8:06:39 AM PST by Alex Marko
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319205/post
Russia-Syria arms deal alarms Israel
Aljazeera | 12 Jan 2005 | By Khalid Amayreh in the West Bank
Posted on 01/12/2005 2:35:58 PM PST by Cornpone
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319492/posts
Syria eager for missiles, experts say
Jpost | Jan. 13, 2005 | NINA GILBERT
Posted on 01/12/2005 11:41:41 PM PST by F14 Pilot
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319789/posts
Syrian president to visit Russia on reported missile shopping trip
AFP ^ | 01-12-2005
Posted on 01/12/2005 1:13:32 PM PST by Tailgunner Joe
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319437/posts
U.S. and Russia Seeking Limits on Portable Antiaircraft Missiles
NY Times ^ | January 12, 2005 | THOM SHANKER
Posted on 01/12/2005 4:17:36 PM PST by neverdem
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319563/posts
U.S. demands Russia cancel proposed missile sale to Syria
Ha'aretz | 13 January 2004 | Ha'aretz Service
Posted on 01/12/2005 2:50:05 PM PST by anotherview
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319501/posts
somewhat related:
Sources: Syria hosted terror wedding
WorldNetDaily.com | Wednesday, January 12, 2005 | Aaron Klein
Posted on 01/11/2005 11:05:56 PM PST by JohnHuang2
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1318979/posts
RUSSIA DENIES SYRIA TALKS
Russia has denied that it is in talks to supply Syria with high-precision missiles.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said there had been no discussion between the two countries concerning weapons.
"No such talks are being conducted on this specific topic," Mr Lavrov told a news conference held after his talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.
He said that there had been discussions on Syrian President Bashar Assad's visit to Russia later this month.
"We don't have any secret topics that we discuss with Syria," Mr Lavrov said. "We adhere to all our international obligations and will not allow them to be breached."
Israeli officials alleged that Russia and Syria had signed a deal for the sale of advanced Igla SA-18 missiles a few days ago.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said that his country had asked Russia to call off the sale, claiming the weapons would disrupt regional stability.
"We turned to the Russians and asked that they not complete this deal," Mr Shalom said. "Syria is a country that supports terror and is supplying Hezbollah with weapons nonstop."
Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa also denied that his country had struck a deal with Russia and he accused Israel of launching a media campaign ahead of Syrian Assad's visit to Moscow on January 24-28.
http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-13282569,00.html
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