[Shadow_Group] Fw: Israel Trying to Stop Russia Missile Deal

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01/12/2005  06:51:23 EST Israel Trying to Stop Russia Missile Deal 
By STEVE WEIZMAN 
Associated Press Writer 

Israel is trying to halt an arms deal in which Russia would supply
advanced missiles to Syria, Israeli officials said Wednesday.

The officials spoke after a Russian newspaper reported the deal.

The deputy Russian foreign minister is in the region to discuss the
matter, the Israeli officials said on condition of anonymity. The United
States is aware of the growing crisis between Russia and Israel, they
said.

The Russian daily Kommersant reported Wednesday that Israel recalled its
ambassador over the deal. Israeli officials said the ambassador was in
Israel on vacation and denied he had been recalled.

The newspaper said Moscow planned to sell Iskander-E missile complexes to
Syria. The missiles can destroy targets up to 175 miles away and would
put all of Israel's territory, including the Dimona nuclear center in the
Negev desert, in jeopardy, Kommersant said.

It said that Syria had turned to Moscow two years ago with a request to
purchase 18 Iskander-E complexes, but that the equipment had not even
been tested yet so Damascus settled for Kornet-E and Metis-M missile
systems.

The press service of Russia's main arms export company, Rosoboronexport,
said it had no information that Russia was planning such a sale.

Mikhail Troyanovsky, the deputy director of the Russian Foreign Ministry
press service, said that "all issues pertaining to the Kommersant
publication are being thoroughly studied by the Foreign Ministry."

Israeli military officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, have
expressed concern that the missiles would get into the hands of Hezbollah
and disrupt the military balance in the Middle East.

Syrian President Bashar Assad is due to visit Russia Jan. 24-28.
 




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