Israel considers halting arms sales to Georgia

Jerusalem, Aug 10 (Xinhua) Israel is planning to halt arms sales to Georgia amid fears of Russian retaliation, daily Ha'aretz reported Sunday.'Israel needs to be very careful and sensitive these days,' an unnamed senior Israeli political source was quoted as commenting on the country's stance over the fighting between Georgian ... ...Russian forces in South Ossetia.The Israeli foreign ministry last week held a meeting on the issue, and decided to recommend to the defence ministry to stop sales of military equipment to Georgia because the country was now a 'combat zone,' said the report.The newspaper added that the Jewish state is concerned that its continued military support for Georgia would spur Russia to retaliate by lifting restrictions on its arms transfers to Iran and Arab states.'The Russians are selling many arms to Iran and Syria and there is no need for them to offer an excuse to sell even more advanced weapons,' the source said.He highlighted that Israel is particularly concerned about Russia's interest in transferring advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran, which Israel considers to be its main strategic threat.The Israeli defence ministry imposed significant limitations on the arms transfers to Georgia about six months ago, only allowing defensive equipment and advisers, in view of the growing friction between Georgia and Russia, Ha'aretz reported.Also in the day, the defence establishment held a special meeting to discuss the various arms deals held by Israelis in Georgia, yet no change of policy has been announced, according to another daily Yedioth Ahronoth.'The subject is closely monitored,' the newspaper quoted defence sources as saying. 'So far, we have placed no limitations on the sale of protective measures.Israel began selling arms to Georgia about seven years ago, and the value of the defence deals between the two countries stands at $200 million, said the newspapers.South Ossetia declared independence from Georgia in the early 1990s and was governed by a secessionist government since then although its independence has not been internationally recognised.Georgian troops Friday mobilised army against South Ossetia in an attempt to re-establish control over the region.The development drew Russia into a war with Georgia and Russian jets and tanks drove into South Ossetian capital Tskhinvali to secure it from the Georgian invasion.Comments on this story Israel considers halting arms sales to GeorgiaIsrael Beware !!! The USA will turn it’s back on You !!!of the USA in Iraq !!arms and ammmo to the Islamists ic China !!Russia wants to Destroy Israel !!!!Wake up before it’s your end !!Guess Israel doesn’t want to enrage the Russia bear...Has Georgia Overreached in Ossetia? 09, 2008 - The victims, of course, are the civilians of Georgia and its breakaway South Ossetia region, caught in the escalating battle between the Georgian military and South Ossetian separatists and their more powerful Russian backer.Hundreds are alleged to have been killed in two days of heavy fighting that has shown no sign of abating by late Saturday, and thousands more are confronting the resulting humanitarian crisis. But the battle that began to rage in Georgia as world leaders were treated to the pyrotechnics of the Beijing Olympics' opening ceremony may be the most serious challenge to the post-Cold War balance of power since the collapse of the Soviet Union.Georgia and South Ossetia have been squared off in an uneasy peace for more than a decade, now, since the region broke away from Georgia in the early '90s, following its independence from the Soviet Union. After a protracted war that killed around 1,000 people and displaced thousands more ethnic Georgians from the territory, Georgia was compelled to sign a cease-fire agreement that left South Ossetia — a tiny mountainous territory a few football fields smaller than Rhode Island — effectively autonomous, but unable to secure recognition by the international community. Still, Russia has protected the region, providing finance, military protection and even passports, and has used South Ossetia’s secession, together with that of Abkhazia, another breakaway region of Georgia, as leverage against Tblisi’s desire to join NATO. Moscow sees Georgia’s move towards NATO as part of a strategy of hostile encirclement of Russia by Western powers, and when the Western alliance enabled Kosovo’s secession from Serbia earlier this year despite the fact that its independence is not recognized by the United Nations, many analysts expected Russia to retaliate by further stoking the fires of secession in Georgia.Georgia’s President Mikhail Saakashvili has a different agenda — he won election in 2004 on promise to recover the breakaway territories, and to join NATO. So closely has he courted the U.Russia Ready to Negotiate10, 2008 — Russia declared itself ready to make peace with Georgia and U.The United Nations Security Council was meeting Sunday morning for the fourth time in as many days trying to resolve a conflict that began when U.-allied Georgia tried to control South Ossetia then said its troops had retreated in the face of Russia’s tanks and aircraft.Russia is “ready to put an end to the war," said Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who also accused the U.“They’re ready for immediate talks with the Russian Federation," confirmed U. Undersecretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynne Pascoe during a briefing to the Security Council. He said Georgia’s “humanitarian corridor” for civilians, refugees and troops would help facilitate the negotiations.Responding to Churkin’s remarks, British Deputy Ambassador Karen Pierce defended U.Many of the council members take sides with Georgia, which is not a council member. Georgia’s ambassador, who was present Sunday, can only join the council’s open meetings, not its private talks, and then again only by invitation.But Russia is one of five nations with veto power on the 15-nation council.

Add to: del.icio.us | Digg