-Caveat Lector- WJPBR Email News List [EMAIL PROTECTED] Peace at any cost is a Prelude to War! Thursday December 28 5:33 PM ET U.S. Worried About Russian Plans to Sell Arms to Iran By Elaine Monaghan WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States said on Thursday it was very worried about reports Russia was planning to sell arms to Iran, saying they would pose a threat to its interests in the Middle East. ``We are particularly disturbed by Russian press accounts that we've seen today of Defense Minister (Igor) Sergeyev's discussions with the Iranians which suggest that Russia is ready to sell Iran missiles, submarines and other equipment,'' State Department spokesman Philip Reeker told a news briefing. The U.S. embassy in Moscow will seek an opportunity to clarify Russia's intent ``sooner rather than later,'' another State Department official said, just hours after Sergeyev and his Iranian counterpart agreed in Tehran on broad, long-term military cooperation. They also declared a 1995 Russia-U.S. deal that prevented Moscow from selling Iran conventional arms effectively dead. Such sales would ``clearly place the national security interests of the United States, its allies and friends in the region at risk,'' said Reeker. On Wednesday, Sergeyev said in Tehran that Moscow would honor its international agreements and any arms sales would not ''prejudice a third country''. Russian officials have also offered assurances that any arms sales would be ``defensive'' in nature, mostly spares for Soviet-era equipment. Reeker did not specify which Russian media reports he was referring to and administration officials say they have not yet had a chance to seek clarification about them from Moscow. But Reeker said, ``It's not sufficient for Russia to simply call this type of equipment, quote, ``defensive.'' Some of the equipment reportedly being discussed ... would pose a serious threat.'' Bush Seen Tougher On Russia As President-elect George W. Bush (news - web sites) prepares to take office, U.S. officials have pointed out to Moscow the inconsistency in their relations, with solid coordination on the Middle East peace process but mixed signals on Iran, U.S. officials say. The United States views with suspicion any sales of military technology to Iran, which it sees as a destabilizing influence because of its stance on the peace process, nuclear activities and backing for anti-Western ``terrorist'' groups. Iran denies Washington's assertion it has an active nuclear arms program and says all work in that field is for peaceful purposes such as power generation. Worries in Washington about Russia's stance on Iran are heightened because of Russia's withdrawal from the pact struck by Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) and former Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin not to sell conventional arms to Iran. Bush is expected to take a tougher line with Moscow than President Clinton (news - web sites)'s administration did earlier in the post-Soviet years. But even before Bush was declared president, U.S. officials were warning of possible sanctions against Moscow if arms sales to Iran went ahead. ``This is something, obviously, we will watch very closely and continue to monitor,'' Reeker said. *COPYRIGHT NOTICE** In accordance with Title 17 U. S. C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for nonprofit research and educational purposes only.[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ] Want to be on our lists? Write at [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a menu of our lists! <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
