US supplies weapons to Syrian opposition

Russia concerned over Soviet-type weapons delivery to Syrian opposition — foreign ministry

TASS,

21 April, 2016

MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russia is concerned over Romanian media reports 

on the supply of large batches of Soviet-type weapons by the US side from 

Romania and Bulgaria for transfer to Syrian opposition groups, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told TASS on Thursday.

"We carefully studied this information," the spokeswoman said. ‘We have no grounds to leave it without attention as the Romanian media mentioned as its source 

the publication of April 8 this year in the reputable military edition Jane’s Defense, which has a broad reading audience. This article is based on the data posted on 

the US governmental portal Federal Business Opportunities and lifts the veil over one of the cases of the illegal supplies of ‘Soviet weapons’ to the world’s crisis 

regions with the use of the possibilities of private intermediary companies for 

implementing contracts on trade in various types of lethal weapons produced 

under expired Soviet licenses," the spokeswoman said.

Moscow says noted reports on arms supplies to Syria from Eastern Europe
Russian lawmaker comments on media reports of possible US arms supply to 

Syrian opposition

"Indicatively, the orders for the deliveries of ‘explosive’ materials to the Jordanian port of Aqaba by shipping companies were placed on behalf of the US Military 

Sealift Command," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

"Later, an update was issued to detail the nature of cargo and its weight - 994 

tons - half of which was required for unloading at the military wharf Agalar of the 

Turkish port of Tasuku near the Syrian border," she dded.

Judging from the information given in the article, a large batch of Soviet-type 

weapons was shipped by sea with Romania’s assistance through Turkey and Jordan 

to the so-called "Syrian rebels" fighting against the regime of legitimately elected President Bashar Assad.

"The range of shipped military products was quite wide, from traditional Kalashnikov assault rifles, grenade launchers and hand-held antitank systems to armaments of various designations," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

"What is obvious is the illegal re-export of unlicensed types of Soviet military 

products," Zakharova said.

A similar operation was held using the infrastructure of the Bulgarian port of 

Bourgas for the illegal transfer of some "confidential cargo" to the region to support the anti-Assad armed opposition, the spokeswoman said.

Therefore, legitimate questions arise: how were these deals formalized, considering that Russia, Romania and Bulgaria have not settled until now the issue of licensed production in the military and technical sphere through the fault of the latter 

countries? Why do the UN and OSCE member-states participating in this illegal operation so easily breach their international commitments in the field of preventing illegal turnover of light and small arms?"

"It follows from the above-mentioned facts that Romanian and Bulgarian partners are consciously violating the rights to the results of intellectual property received 

during bilateral military and technical cooperation and breaching their 

commitments under the international Arms Trade Treaty, violating the European 

Union’s common position on control of the exports of military technologies and 

equipment," Zakharova said.

"Their steps that were taken, as we understand, at the suggestion and with the 

participation of US government structures, do not contribute to the quickest 

settlement of the situation in Syria and the cessation of combat operations there," the Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said.

"Unfortunately, we again have to state double standards for peace and 

transparency," Zakharova said.