US and Israel Warn Russia on ‘Alexander’ Rocket Sales

The US announced that sanctions will be applied on Moscow if it sells weapons to Syria to push it into "partial isolation" on the assumption that it is supporting terrorism. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has denied the reports. Israel, which is worried that Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad may sign a rocket agreement during his January 24th, 2004 visit to Moscow, has also warned Russia on the issue. The Russian newspaper Kommersant reported on Wednesday (January 12) that Russian-Israeli relations have broken down over a rocket sale agreement the Moscow administration "is claimed to have with Syria."

Richard Boucher, spokesperson for the US Department of State, said the Moscow administration knows that sanctions will be placed on Russia if it sells SS-26 rockets to Syria and said: "Our policy is very clear. We are against the selling of ‘lethal’ weapons and military equipment to Syria." The rockets have a 280-km shooting range and the capacity to hit the entire Israeli territory including Dimona Nuclear Central in the Najaf Desert.