AFP – May 14, 2010
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.
Mig 29s
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.
ww.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hKYoEcT7HFtKUQx5tTZ_M0AJzaqQ
Syria to get Russian air defenses...
Ah those warm waters of the Middle East ...so luring ...
Reuters/ here Posted by G, Z, or B at 5:56 PM"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..... 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."
Uprooted Palestinian
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