© 2001 WorldNetDaily.com

WEDNESDAY
MAY 30
2001

Maj. Gen. Yuri Lebedev has defended Moscow's arms sales to Iran as "mutually advantageous."

Lebedev said the Iranians are interested in purchasing Russian air-defense systems and radar and spare parts for Soviet-made aircraft in the Iranian air force.

"These contracts do not lead to an imbalance of forces in the region, and all critical remarks against Russia can be regarded as attempts to put pressure on a competitor," he said. "Such tricks are quite predictable on the world arms market where a fierce struggle is under way."

Lebedev told the Itar-Tass news agency that U.S. opposition to Russian arms sales to Iran are based on Washington’s desire to dominate the international weapons market.

"Iran purchases weapons in China and West European countries," he said. "Therefore, Russia's refusal to deliver will bring nothing but damage to our own economy. The U.S. desire to retard Russian-Iranian trade is quite explainable: Iran is armed with armor and U.S.-made planes purchased under the Shah's regime. Their updating can bring the U.S. huge profits. Incidentally, settlements can be made with Iranian oil, which is also profitable for American manufacturers of weapons and spares."

Meanwhile Russia has told the United States that Moscow plans to sell what it terms defensive weapons to Syria. Russian military sources said President Vladimir Putin was responding to U.S. concerns over arms sales to Damascus during the visit by Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas. Tlas was negotiating for the purchase of such systems as the Su-27 warplane, the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system and the T-80 tanks.

Syria wants to purchase the S-300 in a drive to counter Israel's air superiority, the sources said. Moscow touts the S-300 as a superior system to the U.S. Patriot and capable of downing ballistic missiles. The range of the advanced S-300 is about 150 kilometers.

But the sources said Washington has opposed any Russian sale of the S-300 to Damascus. As a result, the sources said, Putin might abandon plans to sell the S-300, with a range of 150 kilometers.

On May 23, Tlas met Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and National Security Council chief Vladimir Rushailo. Russian sources said the meeting centered on the development of military and defense ties.

Syria has tried to keep the talks by Tlas under wraps. Diplomatic sources said Tlas insisted that he would not meet journalists after his meetings or even be photographed with Russian defense chiefs.

Tlas met Russian defense officials on May 26. They included Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov and parliamentarians who deal with defense issues.

Industry source said the focus of the talks concerned the upgrade of Soviet tank, aircraft and artillery. Syria is said to have about 500 planes and 3,000 tanks. Many of them are out of service because of lack of maintenance and spare parts.

The sources said Russian defense chiefs are urging Tlas to sign contracts for the upgrade of weapons rather than purchase new systems.

Syria is said to be lacking funds for a major weapons deal. But Arab diplomatic sources said Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz will arrive in Damascus in June and the issue of aid by Riyad will be discussed.

Russian sources said Tlas's meetings mark the most serious Syrian effort to buy weapons since the visit by then Syrian President Hafez Assad in 1999. The Assad visit failed due to a dispute with Russia on repayment terms for up to $2 billion worth of weapons.