Russia’s Interest in Syria

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Russia for talks on Syria and the United Nations proposal for a government of national unity there. One point that likely came up in her meeting with foreign minister Sergei Lavrov is the issue of Russia providing arms to Syria.

Russia insists the weapons it sells to Syria cannot be used against peaceful civilians.

The BBC’s Steve Rosenberg in Moscow reports on Russia’s thinking on this issue.

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Marco Werman: Syria, was the agenda when secretary said Hillary Clinton met her Russian counterpart today. The US and Russia are at odds over among other issues, Russian weapon sales to the Syrian government. The sales are a key part of Russian foreign policy, as the BBC Steve Rosenberg reports.

Steve Rosenberg: At an arms fair outside Moscow, five Russian tanks weave gracefully back and forth, their gun barrels rising and falling in time to a waltz. This unusual tank ballet was choreographed by the Bolshoi Theater. But these weren’t built for dancing. The tanks fire shells, machine guns spray bullets and the demonstration ground almost disappears in clouds of smoke. Watching in the stands are potential clients, Delegations from Africa, Asia, the Middle East and the Gulf. Russia is the world’s second largest arms exporter. One of its customers is particularly controversial. Syria is due to take delivery of Russians surface to air missiles, armoured rocket systems and, according to some reports, Mig fighter jets. Despite the increasing violence there, the Russians have no intention of tearing up the contracts. Igor Sevastyanov, is Deputy head of Russia’s state-controlled arms exporter.

Igor Sevastyanov: If the contract was signed before, it’s necessary to fulfill. We fulfill our international obligations in accordance with international rules.

Rosenberg: Russian TV reports on the cargo vessel. We shouldn’t be shipping refurbished Russian helicopter gunships to Syria. Last week, it had it’s insurance withdrawn in British waters and was forced to turn back but Moscow insists the helicopters will be delivered. The west has accused Russia of shoring up President Assad. Russia accuses the west of double standards. Ruslan Pukhov is a defense analyst.

Ruslan Pukhov: Russia doesn’t see any problems in selling weapons to Syria if the CIA and French and British secret services, shipping via Turkey it’s military hardware to the rebels including their hard Islamis. In Syria, rebels attacking military vehicle, which burst into flames. What Russia claims to fear most from this conflict isn’t the prospect of loosing lucrative arms contracts. It’s Radical Islamist’s taking power and threatening Russia’s national security. Andrei Klimov is on the Russian Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.

Andrei Klimov: This is not about Kalashnikovs or about helicopters. This is about very dangerous things near our door.

Werman: But does there come a point, When Russia says Enough is Enough, the situation in Syria is out of control, we stop our support for President Assad.

Klimov: Look, I can tell you only one thing, we in Russia have no illusion about this resume. We don’t want to prolong this resume for decades or for centuries, No. Our task is to find peaceful solution out of this as soon as possible.

Rosenberg: According to Ruslan Pukhov, Russia is equally concerned that if President Assad goes, Russia’s influence in the Middle East will disappear with him.

Pukhov: Syria is the only country in the Middle East which follows lets say our advises. This is the country where we can exercise certain tangible influence and of course the loss of Syria will mean that we will have no influence in this region at all. It has some symbolic value of Russia as a great power.

Rosenberg: Back at the arms fair, the Presidential guard marches across the field in their tsarist-era uniforms. Putin’s Russia still sees itself as a military superpower, a country which has just as right as America to sell weapons to whoever it wants, and gain influence wherever it can. But the Kremlin is pragmatic. If Moscow begins to feel it has more to lose than to gain from backing President Assad, the Syrian leader might find himself coming under minute pressure from the East as well as the West.

Werman: That was the BBC Steve Rosenberg in Moscow.

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