BELARUS: Russians Concerned Over Plan to Sell Missile Technology
MOSCOW, Nov 23 (IPS) - The Russian government is concerned about the proposed sale by CIS republic Belarus of a mobile anti- aircraft missile complex -- the S-300 PMU -- to a Canadian company for a reported 500-million dollar sum.
The Belarus news agency the 'Mass Media Centre' has reported that the Russians disprove of the sale because the missile launcher is the Russian main defence against enemy aircraft and plays a similar role to the U.S. Patriot defence system.
The missile complex technology was inherited by Belarus after the fall of the former Soviet Union and they are now seeking to reap the financial benefits of the advanced former Soviet technolgy.
Moscow is itself protected by the S-300 PMU complexes which are capable of shooting down aircraft, cruise and ballistic missiles. The Russians claim the multiple barrelled missile launcher is superior to the United states Patriot system.
The Belarus news agency, quoting unnamed sources in its own defence minstry, said that in the past the former Belarus leader Vyacheslav Kebich tried to sell the missile complex technolgy.
However, he encountered strong opposition from the Russians and his attempt became doomed to failure.
At the time it was stated in the strongest possible terms by Russia the the system's technical and military secrets belonged to Russia and Belarus was not allowed to sell the complex abroad without Russia's permission.
There are reasons to believe, as the Russian press indicates, that Russia will object to this deal this time also, taking into consideration the serious damage which might be caused to Russia's security and defence capability in case this happens.
The director-general of the Belarus export company Victor Tur is the man who signed a deal with the Canadian firm ATOC over the purchase of the complex, However, he has refused to disclose any information on matter.
Belarus government officials have tries to justify their proposed sale by referring to a similar sale by Kazakhstan to China.
Victor Litovkin writes in the Russian daily 'Izvestia', that sources at the Russian defence ministry have categorically denied that the Kazakhstan sale is in any way compatible with the Belarus plan.
© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service