Russia to Israel: Beware of conflict with Syria

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By Stan Goodenough
April 15, 2007

Russia has warned Israel to take care not to miscalculate either its or Syria's strength lest tensions between the enemy states explode.

The caution came during a regional visit by Russian National Security Council Secretary Igor Ivanov last week, according to the Israeli daily Ha'aretz Sunday.

Ivanov appeared unperturbed when Israeli officials retorted that his country's supplying of arms to Syria and Iran was itself destablizing the Middle East.

Moscow is suspected of selling Syria Pantsir-C1 anti-aircraft systems and the advanced Iskander surface -to-air missile.

Last January Russia sold 29 state-of-the-art Tor M1 radar-guided anti-aircraft missile launchers to Iran.

The deal, valued at $700 million, impressively strengthened Iran's air defences against a possible US or Israeli strike on the rogue state's nuclear facilities.

Russia thus effectively encouraged Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to continue his pursuit of nuclear weapons.

The weapons we are providing to both Damascus and Tehran are for those nations' self-defense only, Ivanov purred.

And anyway, Syrian dictator Bashar el-Assad was really interested in making peace with Israel, so what's the big deal, Ivanov added.

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