Yeltsin, Assad meet under cloud of U.S. disapproval

MOSCOW -- Syrian President Hafez Assad will meet Tuesday with President Boris Yeltsin and Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin for talks that will focus on bilateral defense issues as well as the Middle East peace process.

Assad also intends to sign an agreement on a large weapons deal that would include an advanced anti-aircraft system.

Last year, the United States imposed sanctions on three Russian companies for selling advanced weapons to Damascus.

Russia and Syria have sought to boost cooperation in recent years, a move viewed by the United States as undesirable. In May, Russia and Syria signed a 10-year deal on cooperating in the peaceful use of nuclear power.

But the United States responded forcefully, slapping sanctions on three Russian companies involved in the sale of anti-tank weapons to Syria. Additionally, the U.S. administration threatened to cancel $50 million in aid to Russia if the deal was completed. The contract was apparently never signed and Assad canceled his trip to Moscow.

On Tuesday morning, Assad will lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier near the Kremlin in line with all official visits by foreign dignitaries.

Syria has expressed interest in purchasing Russia's SU-27 jet fighters, T-80 tanks and anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons, diplomats said.

This is a follow-up to the visit by Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev to Damascus in November 1998 to discuss prospects for bilateral military cooperation.

Both Syrian and Russian officials termed the visit as extremely important. Russian officials said the visit had been kept under wraps because Assad had cancelled previous trips.

''Syria and Russia are linked with traditional and old ties. They have mutual and exchanged interests at all politiical and economic domains. They also meet in their identical viewpoints over many international issues,'' the Syrian government newspaper Tishrin said.

Syrian analysts said they expect significant achievements during the Assad visit. "It will be very important and one of those visits which must break new grounds and leave its marks on the bilateral relations between the two countries, as well as, its impacts on the developments in this region of the world," said Fuad Mardoud, an official Syrian commentator.

In April, Assad cancelled a visit two days before he was to arrive in Moscow. Russian diplomatic sources said the cancellation was because of disagreements on a proposed Russian arms sale to Damascus. The officials said Assad demanded a long-term repayment plan for a sale of up to $2 billion worth of weapons. They included the S-300 anti-aircraft system, advanced Sukhoi combat jets, tanks and tank upgrades.

Russian officials refused and said any sale to Damascus must be paid in cash. Moscow has unsuccessfully tried to recover what it claims is an $11 billion debt owed by Syria.

Arab diplomats said on Sunday that Russia has, in effect, abandoned efforts to collect the $11 billion debt. They said Moscow no longer insists on resolving the debt issue as a condition for future arms sales.