Russians to Syria's Assad: 'Show us the money'

MOSCOW -- Russia expects Syrian President Hafez Assad to visit Moscow later this month but defense sources said he must agree to pay cash for any weapons he buys from the Kremlin.

Russian defense sources said the Kremlin will not agree to Assad's demands for a long-term repayment plan for the anti-aircraft and other weapons systems Assad wants from Moscow. The main item on Assad's shopping list, they said, is the S-300 anti-aircraft missile system, estimated at $600 million.

"Assad has to understand that we will no longer agree to wait for our money," a Russian defense source said. "If he wants weapons, he has to pay for them."

The sources said they are convinced that Assad has the means to pay for Russian weapons. They said the Syrians have been quietly buying Russian weapons through private channels for several years.

These channels, they said, included private arms dealers and third countries that provided Damascus with spare parts and minor weapons systems needed to maintain the Syrian military.

"We know that Syria has money and can pay," said Vladimir Orlov, director of the Moscow-based PIR Center for Policy Studies in Russia. "It seems that he believes he can get weapons from the Russian government on very easy terms. This is no longer possible."

But, the sources said, the private channels cannot provide Assad the S-300, tank upgrades and advanced aircraft that Assad is seeking. These systems can only come from the Russian government.

Some sources expressed skepticism whether Assad will indeed go through with reported plans to visit Moscow. They said that so far the Syrian president has not reached agreement on payment for Russian weapons.

In April, Assad cancelled a scheduled visit to Moscow. No reason was given but Russian defense sources and diplomats in Moscow said they believe the cancellation was connected to Assad's failure to win agreement from the Kremlin over the terms of payment for the purchase of Russian weapons.

Russian officials said Moscow has not linked future arms sales to Syrian repayment of its $11 billion debt.