US and Germany assail Russia amid mixed messages on Syria arms sales

Moscow will not deliver advanced S-300 air defence missiles to Syria until autumn at the earliest but it is discussing sales of MiG fighter jets to Damascus, according to Russian arms industry officials.

Their comments came as Washington and Berlin told Moscow that delivery of the S-300s would jeopardise chances for peace in Syria and the region.

Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad suggested this week that Russia had already fulfilled part of a 2010 deal to supply S-300s, which Israel fears could endanger commercial flights at its main airport near Tel Aviv and potentially fall into the hands of Iran or Lebanese militants Hizbullah. Deployment of the system could also make it much more hazardous for western states to create a no-fly zone over Syria.

“Regarding the deliveries of the S-300, they can begin no earlier than the autumn. Technically it’s possible, but much will depend on how the situation develops in the region and the position of western countries regarding resolution of the conflict,” a Russian arms industry source told the Interfax news agency. The unnamed official said delivery of the S-300s could be accelerated if air strikes on Syria from neighbouring states increased, or if western nations imposed a no-fly zone.

Alternatively, Russia could scrap the contract, the source said, citing Moscow’s decision to abandon sales of Iskander tactical missiles to Damascus a few years ago “so as not to destabilise the region”.

'Israel at risk'
US secretary of state John Kerry said the S-300s would have "a profoundly negative impact on the balance of interests and the stability of the region and it does put Israel at risk".

He added, “It is not helpful to have the S-300 transferred to the region while we are trying to organise this peace [conference] and create peace”.

Germany’s foreign minister, Guido Westerwelle, said, alongside Mr Kerry, that it would be “totally wrong” for Russia to deliver arms to Mr Assad now.

“Don’t endanger the peace conference in Geneva,” he urged Moscow. Russia has backed Mr Assad in the conflict and blocked western diplomatic efforts to increase pressure on the old Kremlin ally. Russia’s deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov this week accused the EU of “throwing fuel on the fire” by letting its arms embargo on Syria lapse, opening the way for weapons deliveries to Syria’s rebels by individual member states.

He claimed delivery of the S-300s would be a “stabilising factor” that could deter foreign intervention in Syria.

Experts say the S-300s would have to be transported by sea and that it would take at least several weeks to train Syrians to use them. The presence of Russian trainers in Syria could discourage any nation from seeking to destroy the system with a military strike.

Possible MiG deal
Sergei Korotkov, general director of the MiG aircraft builder, said yesterday it was in talks to sell more than 10 MiG-29 jet fighters to Damascus. "The delegation of Syrians is currently in Moscow, sorting out the details of the contract. I think they will be delivered to Syria," he said, without giving a delivery date. However, Yuri Ushakov, President Vladimir Putin's chief foreign policy adviser, said Russia "does not intend to conclude any new contracts" with Syria at the moment.