bobdina
05-22-2009, 05:12 PM
MOSCOW - Russia has suspended supplies to Syria of MiG-31 fighter jets under possible pressure from Israel or due to Syria's inability to pay for the planes, Kommersant reported Wednesday, citing sources.
The $400-500 million contract for the delivery of eight MiG-31s was inked in early 2007, the paper said.
But work on the modernization of the planes at the Sokol aviation plant in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod halted last month, Kommersant quoted sources at the plant as saying.
A spokesman for Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Vyacheslav Davidenko, declined to comment on the report May 20, dismissing it as "rumors."
A source close to the arms exporter told Kommersant the contract had been frozen under pressure from Israel as the weapon sales could offset the balance of power in the region.
"A similar situation occurred with deliveries of Iskander missiles to Syria. Israel at the time exerted massive pressure on Russia, and the contract was officially cancelled," the paper quoted the source as saying.
However, Kommersant also cited an unnamed government official who said the contract was suspended because Damascus could no longer afford the planes.
In 2005, Moscow forgave 70 percent of Syria's total debt of $13.4 billion Kommersant said.
The $400-500 million contract for the delivery of eight MiG-31s was inked in early 2007, the paper said.
But work on the modernization of the planes at the Sokol aviation plant in the Russian city of Nizhny Novgorod halted last month, Kommersant quoted sources at the plant as saying.
A spokesman for Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Vyacheslav Davidenko, declined to comment on the report May 20, dismissing it as "rumors."
A source close to the arms exporter told Kommersant the contract had been frozen under pressure from Israel as the weapon sales could offset the balance of power in the region.
"A similar situation occurred with deliveries of Iskander missiles to Syria. Israel at the time exerted massive pressure on Russia, and the contract was officially cancelled," the paper quoted the source as saying.
However, Kommersant also cited an unnamed government official who said the contract was suspended because Damascus could no longer afford the planes.
In 2005, Moscow forgave 70 percent of Syria's total debt of $13.4 billion Kommersant said.