Israel warns Russia over weapons sale to Syria

[Rockclimber]

Israel warns Russia? And just what are they going to do about it? It's not as bad as it sounds but I noticed they are doing quite a bit of back peddling here lately as if they had a slight hand in all of this.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/2597515/Israel-warns-Russia-over-weapons-sale-to-Syria.html
Israel warns Russia over weapons sale to Syria
Israel has warned Russia that further weapons sales to Syria would upset the power balance in the Middle East.
 

By Carolynne Wheeler in Jerusalem
Last Updated: 9:02PM BST 21 Aug 2008

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev talks with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad

at the presidential residence Bocharov Ruchey outside Sochi Photo: REUTERS

Russia promised to consider the sale of "defensive" weapons to Syria during a visit to the country by President Bashar Assad.

But in response to the visit, Tzipi Livni, the Israeli foreign minister, said: "It is in nobody's interest to destabilise the region."

She warned that Syria's continued links to the Iranian-sponsored Hizbollah militia in Lebanon meant weapons could fall into unexpected and "dangerous" hands.

"It is a mutual interest of Russia, of Israel and of the pragmatic leaders and states in the region not to send long-range missiles to Syria," she said.

Following Mr Assad's meeting with the President Dmitry Medvedev at his Black Sea residence, Russia's defence minister, Sergei Lavrov, told Russian news agencies that Russia is "ready to deliver weapons of a defensive character that do not violate the strategic balance of power in the region."

Earlier however Mr Assad told Russian newspapers he would discuss the deployment of Russian missiles on Syrian soil, along with the possible purchase of Russian missiles during his visit. The Interfax news agency reported a number of deals involving anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles were in the works.

"Of course military and technical co-operation is the main issue. Weapons purchases are very important," Mr Assad told the Russian newspaper Kommersant. "I think we should speed it up. Moreover, the West and Israel continue to put pressure on Russia."

The spectre of a Cold War-style standoff in the Middle East between a Russian-backed Syria and US-backed Israel follows reports that Israel helped arm Georgia ahead of the recent fighting in South Ossetia. Before the fall of the Soviet Union, Moscow maintained a major naval base at the Syrian port of Tartus.

Israel has maintained that it does not supply arms to other countries as a government, though private firms sell equipment and conduct training with defence ministry approval.

Mr Medvedov and the Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert have discussed the situation in the Caucasus as well as the Middle East. Russia has been lobbying to host its own Middle East peace conference including both Israel and Syria, though neither Israel nor the US are thought to support the idea.

Israel and Syria reopened indirect peace talks earlier this year through Turkish mediators. But Ms Livni said that Syria is driven not by "extremist ideology" but rather by its own interests, and is using those efforts to "gain international legitimacy".

[sullivan]

Israel warns Russia?

The gnat warns the bear.

[Rockclimber]

Israel warns Russia?

The gnat warns the bear.

Gnat, perfect word-annoying too  

[sullivan]

Israel warns Russia?

The gnat warns the bear.

Gnat, perfect word-annoying too  

And its also a blood sucker