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17May13
Russia 'does not understand' uproar over Syria arms sales
Sergei Lavrov, Russia's foreign minister, accused Western media of "trying to create a sensation" and claimed that no international agreements were being broken.
His comments came after the New York Times cited US officials saying Russia was delivering Yakhont anti-ship cruise missiles upgraded with advanced radar systems to the Syrian government, which is engaged in a bloody civil war with western-backed rebel groups.
Military experts told the paper the enhanced missiles would be a "formidable weapon" if Mr Assad's forces wanted to hinder any future international efforts to impose a naval embargo.
Speaking from Sochi, Mr Lavrov said: "I do not understand why the media is trying to create a sensation out of this. We have not hidden that we supply weapons to Syria under signed contracts, without violating any international agreements, or our own legislation."
Russia has sent Yakhont missiles to Syria in the past, but the new batch is said to have greater capabilities because of the better radar.
Moscow and Washington agreed earlier this month to jointly arrange a peace conference to bring together both sides in the Syrian conflict in an attempt to agree a transitional government.
Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee, the senior Republican on the Foreign Relations Committee, told the New York Times the supply of missiles would "set back efforts to promote the political transition".
Russia insists it is not selling Mr Assad's army any offensive weapons that could be used to kill civilians. Mr Lavrov said earlier this week that Moscow had not changed its position that it would honour existing arms contracts with Syria, including the delivery of anti-aircraft missiles.
The US and Israel have expressed particular concern about Russian supplies of sophisticated S-300 surface-to-air missile batteries to Syria.
[Source: By Tom Parfitt, Moscow, The Telegraph, London, 17May13]
 | This document has been published on 21May13 by the Equipo Nizkor and Derechos Human Rights. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, this material is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. |