MOSCOW (AP).-.Russia will continue supplying weapons to Syrian President Bashar Assad s government despite the country s escalating civil war, the head of Russia s state arms trader said Wednesday.
Anatoly Isaikin, the director of Rosoboronexport, said that Russia sees no need to stop arms trade with Syria as it isn t prohibited by the United Nations. He dismissed Western criticism of Russian arms sales to Assad s regime, saying that his company has only delivered defensive weapons.
"In the absence of sanctions, we are continuing to fulfill our contract obligations," Isaikin said at a news conference. "But these aren t offensive weapons. We are mostly shipping air defense systems and repair equipment intended for various branches of the military."
Moscow has been the main protector of Assad s beleaguered regime, joining with China at the U.N. Security Council to block attempts to impose sanctions over his crackdown on a 23-month-old uprising in which more than 60,000 have died.
For more than four decades, Syria has been Moscow s top ally in the region and has received billions of dollars worth of missiles, combat jets, tanks, artillery and other military gear. It s the last Kremlin ally in the Middle East and hosts the only naval base Russia has outside the former Soviet Union.
As the rebel offensive against Assad has intensified, the Kremlin has sought to distance itself from Assad, signaling that it is resigned to him eventually losing power. But Moscow has continued to oppose sanctions against Damascus and warned that the fall of Assad s regime could plunge Syria even deeper into violence and also encourage the rise of extremist groups across the region.
Alexei Pushkov, the Kremlin-connected head of foreign affairs committee in the lower house of the Russian parliament, said Wednesday that Assad s downfall would create a "second Afghanistan" and reaffirmed that Russia would continue to reject the calls for the Syrian ruler s resignation as a precondition for peace talks.
Russia has bristled at Western demands to stop providing Assad with arms, arguing that its weapons trade with Damascus doesn t contradict international law. In June, a Russian-operated ship carrying helicopter gunships and air defense missiles was forced to turn back to Russia after its British insurer canceled coverage for the vessel.
Russia said the vessel was carrying three refurbished helicopters belonging to Syria, and criticized Britain for forcing the ship to turn back, saying that it wouldn t abide by European sanctions against the Assad regime.
The helicopters were repaired and sent back to Syria by a different Russian firm, and Isaikin insisted that his company hasn t shipped any combat planes or helicopters to Syria.
He said more deliveries will be conducted under existing contracts, but refused to give specifics.
Isaikin said that his company has a contract with Syria for the delivery of Yak-130 combat jets but so far has not shipped any. He didn t explain why no deliveries have been made, but the reason could be the aircraft s long production cycle.
Russian media reported last year that the contract was for 36 Yak-130s worth $550 million. The Yak-130 is a combat training jet that can also carry modern weapons for ground attack missions.
Isaikin didn t mention any other weapons systems which his company has delivered to Syria or is planning to ship in the future.
The Russian media said they included Pantsyr-S1 and Buk-M2 air defense systems and Bastion anti-ship missile system. The latter is armed with supersonic Yakhont cruise missiles that have a range of up to 300 kilometers and provides a strong deterrent against an attack from the sea.
Wednesday, 13 February 2013
EU slams Afzal Guru's hanging
BRUSSELS: EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said it was with "regret" that she learned of the execution of Afzal Guru last Saturday.
While recognising that "terrible murders" were committed in the attack and aware of the sufferings of the victims and their families, the EU "reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty under all circumstances", Baroness Ashton said in a press statement.
Afzal had been on a death row during the last ten years since he was convicted in December, 2002 for playing a central role in the attack on the Parliament on December 13, 2001 that left nine people dead.
His execution at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi last Saturday comes less than three months after Ajmal Kasab, the only survivor among the perpetrators of the terror strike in Mumbai in 2008, was hanged in November.
Ashton said the EU calls upon India to re-establish a moratorium on executions, in line with the global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment.
She also offered India EU s support in the fight against terrorism and said the 27-nation bloc looked forward to continuing to work together in this area.
While recognising that "terrible murders" were committed in the attack and aware of the sufferings of the victims and their families, the EU "reiterates its principled opposition to the death penalty under all circumstances", Baroness Ashton said in a press statement.
Afzal had been on a death row during the last ten years since he was convicted in December, 2002 for playing a central role in the attack on the Parliament on December 13, 2001 that left nine people dead.
His execution at the Tihar Jail in New Delhi last Saturday comes less than three months after Ajmal Kasab, the only survivor among the perpetrators of the terror strike in Mumbai in 2008, was hanged in November.
Ashton said the EU calls upon India to re-establish a moratorium on executions, in line with the global trend towards the abolition of capital punishment.
She also offered India EU s support in the fight against terrorism and said the 27-nation bloc looked forward to continuing to work together in this area.
India offers mediation between Tehran, Washington
NEW DELHI (AFP) - India s good relations with Iran and the United States make it able to "provide the linkages" for any dialogue between Tehran and Washington, Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid said Wednesday.
"We remain good friends with the US and we are extremely good friends with Iran," he told a conference on the Gulf nation.
"It places us in a very significant position to be able to bridge the gaps and to provide the linkages necessary for a meaningful dialogue (between the United States and Iran)," Khurshid said, according to the Press Trust of India.
Energy-hungry India has been walking a diplomatic tightrope in the past few years as it continues to pursue good ties and to import oil from Iran while deepening relations with the United States.
Khurshid s statements came a day after US President Barack Obama told Iranian leaders in his State of the Union address it was time they ended a standoff over their disputed nuclear programme.
The United States and other Western powers suspect Iran is masking the development of a nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a programme which Tehran insists is purely for peaceful purposes.
Khurshid noted India had not accepted the "unilateral sanctions" slapped by Washington on Iran to curb its uranium enrichment programme and had gone ahead with its "regular engagement."
India, which is heavily dependent on oil from Iran and other countries to power its economy, has cut back on fuel imports from the Gulf nation.
But it has long been wary of being seen as bowing too easily to US demands and views Iran as an important counterweight to rival Pakistan in the region.
India is in a position to give Iran the kind of "comfort, advice and handholding" required in the "very, very critical and crucial discussions and dialogue that Iran needs to do", Khurshid said.
On Tuesday Obama said "the leaders of Iran must recognise that now is the time for a diplomatic solution" to the nuclear row.
Analysts have said Obama s re-election last November may give him a freer hand to pursue direct talks with Iran.
"We remain good friends with the US and we are extremely good friends with Iran," he told a conference on the Gulf nation.
"It places us in a very significant position to be able to bridge the gaps and to provide the linkages necessary for a meaningful dialogue (between the United States and Iran)," Khurshid said, according to the Press Trust of India.
Energy-hungry India has been walking a diplomatic tightrope in the past few years as it continues to pursue good ties and to import oil from Iran while deepening relations with the United States.
Khurshid s statements came a day after US President Barack Obama told Iranian leaders in his State of the Union address it was time they ended a standoff over their disputed nuclear programme.
The United States and other Western powers suspect Iran is masking the development of a nuclear weapons capability under the guise of a programme which Tehran insists is purely for peaceful purposes.
Khurshid noted India had not accepted the "unilateral sanctions" slapped by Washington on Iran to curb its uranium enrichment programme and had gone ahead with its "regular engagement."
India, which is heavily dependent on oil from Iran and other countries to power its economy, has cut back on fuel imports from the Gulf nation.
But it has long been wary of being seen as bowing too easily to US demands and views Iran as an important counterweight to rival Pakistan in the region.
India is in a position to give Iran the kind of "comfort, advice and handholding" required in the "very, very critical and crucial discussions and dialogue that Iran needs to do", Khurshid said.
On Tuesday Obama said "the leaders of Iran must recognise that now is the time for a diplomatic solution" to the nuclear row.
Analysts have said Obama s re-election last November may give him a freer hand to pursue direct talks with Iran.
US begins equipment pullout from Afghanistan via Pak route
KABUL: The US says it has started using the land route through Pakistan to pull American military equipment out of Afghanistan.
According to international media, spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, Marcus Spade, said on Monday that the US moved 50 shipping containers into Pakistan over the weekend.
Pakistan will be a key route for the US to withdraw thousands of containers of equipment out of landlocked Afghanistan as it pulls out most of its combat troops by the end of 2014.
Pakistan closed the route for nearly seven months after US airstrikes killed 24 Pakistani troops in November 2011. Islamabad reopened the route after Washington apologized for the deaths.
During the closure of the Pakistan route, the US had to use a longer, more costly path through Central Asia.
According to international media, spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan, Marcus Spade, said on Monday that the US moved 50 shipping containers into Pakistan over the weekend.
Pakistan will be a key route for the US to withdraw thousands of containers of equipment out of landlocked Afghanistan as it pulls out most of its combat troops by the end of 2014.
Pakistan closed the route for nearly seven months after US airstrikes killed 24 Pakistani troops in November 2011. Islamabad reopened the route after Washington apologized for the deaths.
During the closure of the Pakistan route, the US had to use a longer, more costly path through Central Asia.
BB murder case: LHC to start hearing from 19th
RAWALPINDI: According to direction of the court, the hearing of Benazir Bhutto’s Assassination Case would be started from February 19.
FIA had filed a petition in Anti-terrorism Court Rawalpindi to hold hearings on daily basis.
The court expressed annoyance over the fact that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, and nearly six years have passed but the case has not been decided by now.
The High Court has ordered to decide the case in a span of three months.
FIA had filed a petition in Anti-terrorism Court Rawalpindi to hold hearings on daily basis.
The court expressed annoyance over the fact that Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007, and nearly six years have passed but the case has not been decided by now.
The High Court has ordered to decide the case in a span of three months.
President for early completion of Pak-Iran gas project
LAHORE: President Asif Ali Zardari has said on Wednesday that these revolutionary steps have been taken in view of the energy crisis in the country.
He was talking to Speaker of Iranian Majlis Shura‚ Mr. Ali Ardeshir Larijani in Lahore on Wednesday.
The President reiterated Pakistan s commitment to implement all mega projects including Pak-Iran Gas pipeline‚ the 1000 MW Taftan-Quetta transmission line‚ 400 MW Gwadar Power supply project‚ Noshki-Dalbandin highway and up-gradation of the Quetta-Taftan track.
The two sides also discussed regional situation and underlined the need for employing the collective strength of Muslims to meet the emerging challenges in the region.
President Zardari said the regional countries needed to adopt collective approach to find out solution of their problems. He reiterated Pakistan s support for an Afghan-owned‚ Afghan-led reconciliation process and said that release of prisoners recently by Pakistan proved its sincerity.
Noting current low level of bilateral trade‚ the President emphasized the need for taking measures to realize the true potential of bilateral trade.
Iranian Speaker said his country wants to further strengthen its relations with Pakistan in all field and bring people of both countries more close.
He said Iran will continue cooperation with Pakistan to complete ongoing development projects specially Pak-Iran gas pipeline to overcome energy crisis.
He was talking to Speaker of Iranian Majlis Shura‚ Mr. Ali Ardeshir Larijani in Lahore on Wednesday.
The President reiterated Pakistan s commitment to implement all mega projects including Pak-Iran Gas pipeline‚ the 1000 MW Taftan-Quetta transmission line‚ 400 MW Gwadar Power supply project‚ Noshki-Dalbandin highway and up-gradation of the Quetta-Taftan track.
The two sides also discussed regional situation and underlined the need for employing the collective strength of Muslims to meet the emerging challenges in the region.
President Zardari said the regional countries needed to adopt collective approach to find out solution of their problems. He reiterated Pakistan s support for an Afghan-owned‚ Afghan-led reconciliation process and said that release of prisoners recently by Pakistan proved its sincerity.
Noting current low level of bilateral trade‚ the President emphasized the need for taking measures to realize the true potential of bilateral trade.
Iranian Speaker said his country wants to further strengthen its relations with Pakistan in all field and bring people of both countries more close.
He said Iran will continue cooperation with Pakistan to complete ongoing development projects specially Pak-Iran gas pipeline to overcome energy crisis.
Monday, 11 February 2013
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