Russia Rejects Syria Sanctions
Russia said Saturday it would not cooperate with a new round of European Union sanctions against Syria and would not consent to inspections of ships flying the Russian flag.
“We do not plan to take any part in measures carrying out European Union decisions directed against Syria,” foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich was quoted as saying in a statement, AFP reported.
“Among other things we will not consider requests and give consent to the search of ships sailing under the Russian flag, nor to the use of other restrictive measures,” said the statement posted on the ministry’s website.
Earlier this week the EU beefed up sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s government and agreed to tighten an arms embargo by inspecting vessels and planes suspected of carrying arms.
Russia on Wednesday condemned the new round of EU sanctions against Syria over the prolonged conflict with the armed opposition as amounting to an air and sea “blockade” of its Soviet-era ally.
Russia last month attempted to deliver a shipment of three attack helicopters and an air defense system to Syria in a cargo ship under a Curacao flag before being exposed by Washington.
The Alaed cargo vessel carrying the helicopters was then forced to turn back when its British insurer ended up pulling coverage. It returned to Russia and swapped its flag for a Russian one.
A report by the Interfax news agency on Friday said that Russia planned to delay the shipment until security control was restored in Syria and had moved the helicopters into storage.
Russia argues that the Mi-25 helicopters already belonged to Syria and were only returned to Russia for upgrades under a 2008 contract signed long before the fighting began.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Navy chief said that if the lives of the personnel at the Russian naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus are put at serious risk, they may be evacuated. This comes as Russia holds a major naval drill not far from the Syrian coast.
“If an emergency happens, we will remove the base’s personnel,” Vice-Adm. Viktor Chirkov told Echo Moscow radio Saturday, when asked what the Russian military would do if the base at the Syrian port Tartus came under attack.
He added that it would be up to the Russian president to order such a move.
Earlier, Navy sources warned that Russia currently has enough capabilities to defend its base in Syria from a rebel attack.
This was in response to threats from the so-called Free Syrian Army, who said they would target the base or Russian warships directly for Russia’s support of the Syrian government.