Syria seeks closer military ties with China

NICOSIA — Syria seeks to bolster military ties with China.

The effort was launched during the weekend visit by a Chinese military delegation led by Lt. Gen. Tang Tiang Beyo. The delegation met Syrian military and political leaders, including Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas and Syrian Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Aslan.

Arab diplomatic sources said the Chinese delegation in Damascus was one of the most senior in years. Under U.S. and Israeli pressure, China downgraded military relations with Damascus in the late 1990s and refused to sell missile systems and nonconventional weapons.

The Chinese military delegation and its Syrian hosts discussed "friendship and cooperation relations between the two countries's armies," the official Syrian news agency said, "and means of developing them so as to fulfill the ambitions of the Chinese and Syrian people for friendship and cooperation."

Syria has also discussed the prospect of modernization of its military with Russia and the European Union, particularly the French. The EU has agreed to consider providing defense aid as part of a Middle East settlement with Israel.

So far, EU representatives have limited their talks to economic cooperation. Last week, Syria and the EU signed agreements for the cooperation of their companies.