Russia eyes new Syria arms deal

[NNN0LHI]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/7574311.stm

Thursday, 21 August 2008 23:34 UK

Moscow has announced it is ready to sell new weapons to Syria, triggering alarm from Israel.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said any arms sales of "a defensive character" would not change the strategic balance in the Middle East.

But Israel's foreign minister said such sales could destabilise the region.

The comments came as Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met at Russia's Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Moscow and Damascus are reportedly preparing deals on anti-aircraft and anti-tank missile systems, as well as surface-to-surface Iskander missiles.

[bdamomma]

1. the neo cons are stirring the pot.

no way no how no mc cain, or we will get a full scale war.

[Junkdrawer]

2. File this under "How does it feel to have 'defensive' weapons deployed on YOUR border?"

Wholly predictable.

[malaise]

3. Did Israel have a problem when she received all those

weapons from Bush and Blair.

[Selatius]

4. This might be in response to Israeli contractors selling weapons to the nation of Georgia.

I guess Russia is going to pay back the favor to Israel.