Washington warns Moscow over selling missiles to Syria
Syria-USA, Politics, 1/13/2005

The US yesterday warned Russia over selling missiles to Syria describing this deal as "unjustified." The spokesman for the US Department Of State Richard Boucher said that the US opposes handing over weapons to Syria because it "supports terrorism" noting that the American law states "likely sanctions" against Syria.

For his part, the Israeli foreign minister Silvan Shalom said he had made a telephone call over preventing the Russian deal several days ago and he hopes to reach an understanding with the Russian government.

Israeli military officials asked to be anonymous said that the Russian deputy foreign minister will visit the region in order to discuss this issue, noting that the USA knows the crisis between Tel Aviv and Moscow.

Russian press news had stated that Moscow is preparing to sell Damascus "Iskander A or OSS missiles of a range of 280 Km. They are improved missiles over the Skud SS- 22 missiles which were used by Iraq to attack Tel Aviv during the Gulf war of 1991.

The Russian Comeer-Sant paper said that Israel summoned its ambassador in Moscow in protest of this step, while the Israeli foreign ministry denied these news saying that he is spending a vacation in Israel.

It said that Syria asked Russia two years ago to buy 18 missiles of this type, but these missiles were not tested yet in Russia and this pushed Damascus to ask for other missiles of Cornet and Meties types.

Commenting on these news, the media office for the company in charge of exporting weapons in Russia said he does not have any information on this deal. No comment was also issued by the Russian foreign ministry to this effect.

Previous Stories:
  Kerry: common fears and interests with Syria; al-Assad stresses dialogue with Washington   (1/10/2005)
  Kerry is in Damascus   (1/8/2005)
  President al-Assad confers with Armitage   (1/3/2005)

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