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Russian Decision to Sell Missiles to Syrians 'Wrong Deal' At 'Wrong Time' By Julie Stahl CNSNews.com Jerusalem Bureau Chief February 16, 2005 Jerusalem (CNSNews.com) - Russia's decision to sell anti-aircraft missiles to Syria is a "wrong deal to the wrong country at the wrong time," a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Wednesday. Sharon revealed on Tuesday that he had received a letter from Russian President Vladimir Putin informing him of Russia's decision to go ahead with the sale of SA-18 shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to Syria. Both Israel and the U.S. had voiced their strong opposition to the sale. "We are not pleased with the sales of weapons to Syria, particularly sophisticated weapons that Russia intends to sell to Syria, weapons that may end up in the hands of terror organizations," Sharon told reporters in Jerusalem. Sharon said he had discussed the issue with Putin more than two years ago and was given assurances that the SA-18 would not be sold to the Syrians because of the possibility that the weapons could be passed on to Hizballah in southern Lebanon or Palestinian terrorist groups. The SA-18, known in Russia as the Igla, is lightweight and small enough to be smuggled in a suitcase even into Israel. In the letter he received, Sharon said that he was assured that the weapons sold to Syria would not find their ways into the hands of terrorist organizations. "We worry about that," Sharon said. "We are in constant contact with the Russians in order to settle this issue and to ensure that these weapons do not reach terrorist organizations in Lebanon. Lebanon is the center of terrorism and regional instability." Israel is still hoping that Russia will not go through with the sale, Sharon's spokesman Dr. Ra'anan Gissin said. If it falls into the hands of terrorists, it could be used against low-flying aircraft in Israel but also in Iraq, Gissin said. "It's the wrong deal to the wrong country at the wrong time," Gissin said. The Russian Defense Ministry denied on Wednesday that it intended to sell the shoulder-fired missiles to Syria, which presumably would be more attractive to terrorists. The Defense Ministry said in a statement that talks were underway to sell to Syria "Strelets air defense short-range missile systems." The Strelets missiles are not "man-portable" and can only be used if they are attached to a heavy vehicle, the statement said. Putin and President Bush are due meet in Bratislava next week where they are supposed to sign an agreement to control the sale of shoulder-fired missiles. Analysts have noted that beyond the issue of the kind of weapons Russia wants to sell to Syria, that any sale signals a political shift. This is the first time in 14 years that Moscow has been willing to sell weapons to Damascus, its former Cold War ally. Moscow is keen on reestablishing its influence in the Middle East. Syrian President Bashar Assad visited Moscow last month, and Russia agreed to write-off a large part of its Soviet-era debt. -- ----------------- R. A. Hettinga <mailto: [EMAIL PROTECTED]> The Internet Bearer Underwriting Corporation <http://www.ibuc.com/> 44 Farquhar Street, Boston, MA 02131 USA "... however it may deserve respect for its usefulness and antiquity, [predicting the end of the world] has not been found agreeable to experience." -- Edward Gibbon, 'Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire' ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. 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