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http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/05/14/108597.html#000

Moscow to supply Damascus with warplanes, anti-tank arms

Russia to sell Syria air defense systems: report

[ Friday, 14 May 2010 ]

Russia will supply Syria with MiG-29 fighters (File)

MOSCOW (Agencies)

Russia has signed deals with Syria under which it will sell it warplanes, anti-tank weapons and air defense systems, Itar-Tass news agency quoted a senior Russian arms trader as saying on Friday.

Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Russia would supply Syria with MiG-29 fighters and truck-mounted Pantsir short-range surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery systems.

He did not specify the kind of anti-tank weapons.

The arms deal is likely to be watched with unease by Syria's regional foe Israel and its ally the United States which imposed sanctions on Damascus for its support of militant groups and corruption.

Earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Syria -- the first visit to Damascus by a Moscow ruler since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution -- and oversaw talks on Russia's possible assistance in building a nuclear power plant in Syria. While in Syria, Medvedev unnerved Israel by paying a visit to Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Israel's Foreign Ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" that Medvedev met the leader of Hamas, which it said was "a terror organization in every way." A senior adviser to U.S. president Barack Obama said on Wednesday that Washington has made it clear to Russia that delivering an anti-aircraft system to Iran would have severe consequences for U.S. ties with Moscow. Gary Samore, White House coordinator for arms control, weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism, said he thought Russia understood Washington's position and would be surprised if Moscow shipped the S-300 anti-aircraft system that Iran has ordered. "We've made it very clear to the Russians that that would have a very significant impact on our bilateral relations," said Samore. "I think the Russians understand that the consequences would be very severe." http://www.france24.com/en/20100514-russia-sells-syria-warplanes-air-defence-systems-official 14 May 2010 - 19H03 Russia sells Syria warplanes, air defence systems: official Four Russian MiG-29 fighter jets perform at the international airshow at Zhukovsky airfield, outside Moscow. Russia is supplying Syria with warplanes, armoured vehicles and air defence systems under existing contracts, ITAR-Tass news agency quoted the head of the country's state military agency as saying. AFP - Russia is supplying Syria with warplanes, armoured vehicles and air defence systems under existing contracts, ITAR-Tass news agency quoted the head of the country's state military agency as saying. Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Russia was selling Syria MiG-29 fighter jets, Pantsir short-range air defence systems and armoured vehicles. No further details were provided. President Dmitry Medvedev this week paid the first-ever visit by a head of state from Moscow to Damascus, where he said the use of nuclear energy "may get a second wind" in Syria -- a remark that prompted concern from Washington. Russia's arms sales and possible nuclear cooperation with Syria, which has close ties to Iran, is unnerving for Israel and the United States, which earlier this month renewed sanctions on Syria for another year, accusing it of supporting "terrorist" groups. Russia is also in talks to supply NATO member Turkey, which Medvedev also visited this week, with air defence systems and helicopters, Dmitriyev said. "It is unclear what will happen, what Turkey would agree to," the news agency quoted him as saying. Russia to sell Syria warplanes, air defense systems http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64D35S20100514 A MiG-29 fighter jet performs a manoeuvre as the Russian national flag flies in the foreground, during the MAKS-2009 international air show in Zhukovsky, outside Moscow, August 22, 2009. Credit: Reuters/Sergei Karpukhin MOSCOW/JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Russia has signed deals to sell Syria warplanes, anti-tank weapons and air defense systems, a senior Russian arms trader said on Friday, prompting an outcry from Syria's foe Israel. World | Russia Mikhail Dmitriyev, head of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Russia would supply Syria with MiG-29 fighters, truck-mounted Pantsir short-range surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery systems. He said Russia would also supply Damascus with anti-tank weapons but did not specify their type. Syria's regional foe Israel reacted angrily to the deal but called into question the solvency of Damascus. "Syria at the present time cannot afford to pay for this sophisticated weaponry, indeed, it has hardly enough money to buy food for its citizens. One can only wonder what is the real reason behind this dubious deal," said an Israeli government official in Jerusalem who declined to be named. Israel's close ally the United States imposed sanctions on Syria for its support of militant groups and corruption. Earlier this week, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev visited Syria -- the first visit to Damascus by a Moscow ruler since the 1917 Bolshevik revolution -- and oversaw talks on Russia's possible assistance in building a nuclear power plant in Syria. While in Syria, Medvedev unnerved Israel by paying a visit to Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. "Russia's haste to win this contract has seen it even willing to meet with notorious Hamas leaders in Syria," the anonymous Israeli official said. Israel's Foreign Ministry said it was "deeply disappointed" that Medvedev met the leader of Hamas, which it said was "a terror organization in every way." (Reporting by Dmitry Solovyov; additional reporting by Ori Lewis in Jerusalem; editing by Jon Boyle) Russia to sell Syria warplanes, air defense systems http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/05/12/108353.html

Selling arms to Iran to have impacts on ties with Moscow: US

Washington warns Russia against Iran arms sale

Russia and China

The S-300 missile defense system (File)

WASHINGTON (Reuters)

The United States has made it clear to Russia that delivering an anti-aircraft system to Iran would have severe consequences for U.S. ties with Moscow, a senior advisor to President Obama said early Wednesday.

In a generally upbeat assessment of ties with Russia, Gary Samore, White House coordinator for arms control, weapons of mass destruction proliferation and terrorism, said he thought Russia understood Washington's position and would be surprised if Moscow shipped the S-300 anti-aircraft system that Iran has ordered.

"We've made it very clear to the Russians that that would have a very significant impact on our bilateral relations," said Samore. "I think the Russians understand that the consequences would be very severe."

Tehran has urged Russia not to bow to Western pressure over the sale of the system which, analysts say, could help Iran thwart any attempt to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. The United States and Israel have refused to rule out military action against Iran if diplomacy fails to resolve the dispute over its nuclear facilities. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but Western governments believe it is aimed at bomb-making. Washington is pressing other global powers to agree to a fourth round of U.N. sanctions against Tehran over its refusal to halt its nuclear work, but Samore said Iran's program had suffered technical setbacks, giving diplomacy a bit more time. "The nuclear clock is not moving as quickly as some feared," he said.

Russia and China Samore defended the Obama administration's decision this week to revive an agreement with Russia in which the two countries would cooperate on civilian nuclear energy, saying the Russians had been more cooperative on issues ranging from dealing with Iran to reducing nuclear arms. But he stopped short of saying that the proposed nuclear deal would be withdrawn if the Russians sent the anti-aircraft system to Iran, or backed away from supporting a new resolution on U.N. Security Council sanctions against Iran. "I think we are seeing good cooperation from the Russians and I think that will be apparent to everybody once the Security Council takes action," Samore said. "I think we will get a good resolution with Russian and Chinese support." Washington's effort to renew the civilian nuclear deal with Russia is the latest attempt to "reset" U.S. relations with Russia, one of President Barack Obama's foreign policy priorities. The civilian nuclear deal was shelved almost two years ago over Russia's war with Georgia, when relations between Washington and Moscow reached a post-Cold War low. The agreement is not a treaty but it must be submitted to Congress for a 90 day review and lawmakers can vote to kill it before it becomes effective. Some Republicans in Congress have expressed concern that Obama is going too far in Russia's direction before getting Moscow to sign on to a tough sanctions resolution on Iran. "By trading this agreement for Russian support for a weak, meaningless round of Iran sanctions at the U.N. Security Council, the U.S. has severely hampered its own efforts to isolate the Iranian regime," said Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. http://www.alarabiya.net/articles/2010/05/13/108526.html

Hamas hails Russian, Turkish call for inclusion in peace

Russia spurns Israeli rebuke over Hamas meet

Russian President Medvedev (L) chats with Turkish President Gul before their talks in Ankara

MOSCOW (Agencies)

Russia on Thursday defended its contacts with Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas after President Dmitry Medvedev met the group's leader, saying the organization must play a role in peace efforts.

Calling Hamas "a terror organization in every way," Israel's Foreign Ministry said on Wednesday it was "deeply disappointed" that Medvedev met the group's exiled leader Khaled Meshaal during a visit to Syria this week.

Russia, the United States, European Union and the United Nations, make up a quartet of Middle East mediators. The U.S., EU and Israel consider Hamas a terrorist group. Russia insists that Hamas should not be isolated.

" Recognition of the legitimacy of Hamas will increase to include other countries besides Russia " Salah al-Bardawil, Hamas "Hamas is not an artificial structure," Russian foreign ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said in a statement. "It is a movement that draws on the trust and sympathy of a large number of Palestinians." Senior Hamas leader Salah al-Bardawil earlier hailed the step and said "the invitation by Russia and Turkey to include the movement in the political process reflects the true political weight of the movement." "Recognition of the legitimacy of Hamas will increase to include other countries besides Russia," he said. The Russian president, who met Meshaal in Damascus Tuesday, later said that no group should be excluded from peace efforts. "Issues related to the reestablishment of Palestinian unity as an indispensable condition for the success of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations were at the centre of the meeting," Nesterenko said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Thursday briefed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the meeting in Damascus, the foreign ministry said. During the meeting with Meshaal, Medvedev called for the quick release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip for nearly four years. Hamas later dismissed the Russian pressure and said Shalit would not be set free without an "honorable" prisoner exchange deal with Israel.