Russia will not sell Syria new weapons -official

‘We are concerned about the situation in Syria’:

RUSSIA: Russia will not supply new weapons to its Arab ally Syria while fighting there continues, Moscow arms export officials said Monday, while stressing that old contracts would be fulfilled.

“Russia like other countries is concerned about the situation in Syria,” Russian agencies quoted Vyacheslav Dzirkaln, the deputy head of the Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation, as saying.

“We are not talking about new deliveries of new weapons to this country,” the Russian official said at the Farnborough Airshow. “Until the situation stabilises, no shipments of new weapons will be made.” Russia has long argued it has only been fulfilling existing contracts with Syria and is not supplying any of its most modern equipment under deals signed since the conflict began in March 2011.

Some of Russia's military enterprises are still conducting their own negotiations with Syria and strike deals that have, according to news reports, not been fulfilled up to this point.

In Washington, State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell said: “Obviously, if it were true, it would be a good sign but we are still seeking further clarification from the Russians.” “We have repeatedly raised our concerns with the Russian government at a variety of levels. We have expressed our belief that continued arms sales to the regime will only further throw flames on the fire,” he added. AFP