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US warns Russia on selling missiles to Syria
 The United States warned Russia against selling missiles to Syria amid reports that Moscow was ready to provide Damascus with a sophisticated weapon that could hit any target in Israel. But Russia denied it had any such plans.
| "No, no! Certainly not! Say, you guys are still gonna sell us oil drilling equipment, right?" |
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Washington could consider sanctions against Moscow if it went through with reported plans to sell Syria its SS-26 Iskander missile. Secretary of State Colin Powell also raised the reported sale in talks here Wednesday with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov, according to a State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity. "The US policy on this is very clear," Boucher said. "We're 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 United States 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."
| Diplospeak for don't cross this line. |
The Russian media carried reports of the planned sale as Syrian President Bashar al-Assad prepared to visit Russia on January 24 for talks with President Vladimir Putin. The press accounts said Israel was furious at the prospect of Syria obtaining the missile, an updated version of the Scud used by Iraq in the first Gulf War, that could strike almost anywhere in the Jewish state. However, Ivanov categorically denied any plans for such a sale. "We have no talks with Syria about such missiles," he told reporters here. "There are no negotiations under way with Syria." Meanwhile, Boucher declined to elaborate what action the United States would envision against Moscow if the deal went through. "There are potential sanctions under US law," said the State Department spokesman. "But that would have to be looked at, if and when, such a sale should occur."
Posted by: Steve White 2005-01-13 |
