Putin justifies weapons sale to Syria

WAR.WIRE

Putin justifies weapons sale to Syria
JERUSALEM (AFP) Apr 28, 2005
President Vladimir Putin, on a historic visit to Israel, on Thursday justified Russia's planned sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, insisting that they would pose no danger to the Jewish state.

"The system we are going to supply to Syria is short range and poses no threat whatsoever to Israeli territory," Putin told a news conference after talks with Israeli President Moshe Katsav.

But Katsav acknowledged there were "disagreements" between Israel and Russia on the planned sale of the anti-aircraft missiles, which he said "risked reducing Israel's abilities to fight terrorism".