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WORLD NEWS Russian Military Denies Seeking Mediterranean Naval Base in Syria Russian military officials June 2 denied a report that Moscow hopes to create a permanent naval base in Syria that would give it a Mediterranean outpost and represent a major shift in the regional security balance. Russia has begun work on deepening the Syrian port of Tartus and is also widening a channel in another Syrian port, Latakia, the Kommersant newspaper said, citing an official at Russia's embassy in Damascus, Vladimir Zimin. The newspaper noted that Russia is seeking alternative accommodation for the Black Sea fleet, based in the Ukrainian port of Sevastopol, as it may have to vacate that base when its lease expires in 2017. "As an official at Russian naval headquarters explained, the creation in Tartus of a fully fledged naval base should help Russia redeploy the naval and supply ships leaving Sevastopol," Kommersant said. A base in Syria would be in addition to its expanding Black Sea military port at Novorossysk. Tartus has hosted a supply point for the Soviet and then the Russian navies since the 1970s, the newspaper noted. "This can't be considered information - this is complete nonsense," said an unnamed admiral quoted by the ITAR-TASS news agency. "The Russian government hasn't had and doesn't have any plans to move the Black Sea fleet from Ukraine. Our fleet is staying in Crimea at least until 2017," he said. The agency quoted a "senior defense ministry" official as also denying the report: "One would have to be crazy to leave Ukraine before 2017. So why then sign an agreement?" According to Kommersant, "For the first time since the Soviet Union's collapse, Russia will create its own military base outside former Soviet borders, which will allow Moscow to conduct its own political game in the Middle East." The new Russian naval base in Syria would be protected by a long-range Russian air defense system, the S-300PMU-2 Favorit, staffed by Russian personnel, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed defense ministry official. The system could also protect a significant portion of Syria, the paper said. The newspaper said that a permanent base would help in Russian naval cooperation with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Russian ships are currently undergoing training to join a NATO counter-terrorism operation in the Mediterranean, Active Endeavour. But a permanent naval base would also change "the disposition of forces in the region," the paper noted. "It means Russia henceforth taking the Syrian regime into its care and protection," Kommersant said. "Moscow's stake in Damascus would definitely damage relations between Russia and Israel and could persuade the Iranian regime to be even less compliant in talks on the Iranian nuclear program," the paper said.
Blair welcomes Iraq's 'new start'
Mr Blair says the new Iraqi government is a big step forward. Prime Minister Tony Blair says there is "no excuse" for the bloodshed to continue in Iraq with the formation of a new government.
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Mr Blair said this was a "new beginning" which would allow Iraqis to "take charge of their own destiny". He was speaking at a news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki after landing in Baghdad on Monday. The new government has vowed to crack down on terrorism - but key ministries still remain unfilled. Mr Blair's arrival in Baghdad from Kuwait was shrouded in secrecy, and comes amid continuing violence. Two blasts on Monday morning claimed at least five lives. The new government was sworn in on Saturday and Mr Maliki vowed to use all means necessary, including "maximum force", to restore security.
The attacks and killings have continued apace.
Violence keeps us here: Mr Blair said it had taken "three years of struggle" to reach the formation of a government. "For the first time, we have a government of national unity that crosses all boundaries and divides, that is there for a four-year term and [is] directly elected by the votes of millions of Iraqi people." He refused to lay out a timetable for the withdrawal of troops, but said there was "no vestige of an excuse" for the "terrorism and bloodshed" to continue. "If the worry of people is the presence of the multinational forces, it is the violence that keeps us here. It is the peace that allows us to go." He sharply dismissed reporters who questioned the worth of the invasion of Iraq. "Here we are at a press conference where you are able to put me, the British prime minister and this, the new Iraqi prime minister, under pressure. That is what has happened in Iraq," he said.
Mr Maliki said the plan was for Iraqi forces to take over control of operations from the multi-national forces as they become ready, province by province, beginning in June. He said reconstruction was a priority, and that talks were continuing to appoint the ministers of defence and the interior. Mr Maliki denied there was a civil war - only "groups committing terrorism". This is the second time the British prime minister has visited Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone, and he is the first world leader to visit the new government. His show of support for the new national unity government indicates how important he considers it for Iraq's future - and perhaps too his own legacy. Our correspondent says the prime minister seems genuinely hopeful that the establishment of an elected, full-term government marks a new start for Iraq. But Mr Blair still concedes the new government may not succeed. His call to insurgents to lay down their arms, says our correspondent, depends on whether the new government can draw them into the political process - something that is far from guaranteed. A senior British official travelling with the prime minister said the withdrawal of the present multinational force should be accomplished within four years, with a handover of power to civilian forces in several provinces during the summer. He insisted this was not a timetable for troop withdrawal and did not automatically mean the swift repatriation of large numbers of UK troops. |
