Foreign Correspondence

[Amaunet]

Russia denies Syrian missile deal

So it was Russia who tipped the United States off to Israel helping China build unmanned planes.

I am not sure I am following this, Israel thinks it should be allowed to sell to the number one threat to the United States, China, but Russia cannot sell to Israel’s ‘enemy’ in this case Syria.
#msg-3379438
#msg-4883457

-Am

Russia denies Syrian missile deal


Russia has denied reports that it intends to sell modern missile systems to Syria.

Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov, on a visit to the US, said there had been no talks about missiles with Damascus.

US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher warned Moscow that Washington could consider sanctions if Russia went ahead with such a deal.

Israel has raised serious concerns about the prospect of Syria having missiles that could hit its territory.

Speaking after a meeting with US State Secretary Colin Powell on Wednesday, Mr Ivanov told Russian television: "There are no talks under way between Russia and Syria concerning shipment of such missiles. Such talks are not taking place."

Mr Boucher said that Washington considers such deals with Syria inappropriate.

"The Russians know about this policy. They know about our views," he said. "There are potential sanctions under the US law."

Diplomatic row

Claims that Russia planned to supply its new Iskander missiles to Damascus caused what both the Israeli and Russian media described as a crisis in bilateral relations.

Israeli newspapers linked these plans with Syrian President Bashar Assad's forthcoming visit to Moscow. But Mr Ivanov said such allegations always emerged whenever a Middle East leader visited Moscow.


Iskander is an updated version of the Soviet-era Scud missile
Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had held an urgent government meeting and consulted the US over relations with Moscow.

It also noted the cancellation of Russian deputy foreign minister Aleksandr Saltanov's visit to Tel-Aviv during his trip to the Middle East to observe the Palestinian elections.

The Russian government newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta said on Thursday that the alleged crisis had other components, apart from the missile issue.

It said Israel was angry about Russian scientists allegedly helping Iran to create new weapons.

The newspaper also says that Israel may have been upset by Russia allegedly transferring information to the US about Israel helping China to build unmanned planes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4170801.stm