RAMALLAH, 23 April 2005 — Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday dismissed concerns by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon over Moscow’s sale of missiles to Syria, saying the weapons would not fall into the hands of anti-Israeli militants.
Putin told a TV channel Russia would be able to monitor what happened to the short-range, anti-aircraft missiles it had sold to Syria.
“(The weapons) cannot be transferred to terror organizations without someone finding out,” Channel 1 translated Putin as saying from Russian. “We have the capabilities to monitor them.”
In another development, Sharon is expected to announce a three-week delay in the planned evacuation of the Gaza Strip early next month, immediately after a holiday ends, a government official said yesterday.
Sharon, who had fended off attempts to stall the evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank, said in recent days he would consider a brief postponement, ostensibly because of a Jewish mourning period.
However, politicians and analysts speculated the delay was proposed because the government was far behind schedule in its efforts to evacuate and relocate the 9,000 settlers in the affected communities.
Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday agreed with the plan to push back the evacuation from late July until Aug. 15.
Sharon spokesman Asaf Shariv said yesterday that the premier was expected to announce the delay.
Though polls show most Israelis support the pullout, many settlers remain strongly opposed. Military chief Lt. Gen. Moshe Yaalon said yesterday he doesn’t foresee settlers opening fire on soldiers trying to remove them.
About the missile sale to Syria, Sharon said on Thursday the missiles posed a danger to Israel and that he intended to raise the issue during Putin’s visit, the first to Israel by a Kremlim leader. Putin said he visited Israel 10 years ago before he was elected president. Putin said the arms sale “would make it tough for anyone to fly over Syria at a low altitude”.
Russia says the Strelet missiles involved in the deal are vehicle-mounted and cannot be turned into shoulder-fired rockets. Israel rejects the explanation and Western defense analysts say the weapons could be taken apart and made portable.
The United States, Israel’s closest ally, has also raised concerns about the sale.
— With input from agencies
