In a briefing in Washington on Sept. 17, Serdyukov said Moscow signed a
contract in 2007 to supply the P-800 to Syria, Middle East Newsline reported. He said a less advanced
variant has already been delivered to the regime of President Bashar Assad.
"The issue of selling the missiles to Syria was raised during the talks
with U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates," Serdyukov said.
The assertion by Serdyukov was the second time in September that the
Kremlin reaffirmed its commitment to sell Yakhont to Damascus. Earlier,
Sergei Prikhodo, an adviser to President Dmitry Medvedev, said Russia would
not be pressured into canceling the project.
"The United States and Israel have asked us not to supply Syria with
Yakhont,"
Serdyukov said. "But we do not see the concerns expressed by them that these
weapons will fall into the hands of terrorists."
The P-800 has been regarded as one of the most advanced anti-ship
missiles in
the world. Yakhont, with a 200-kilogram warhead, was said to have a range of
300 kilometers and the capability to strike land targets. Officials said the
missile, able to fly meters above the water, could evade most radar
detection.
In his briefing, Serdyukov dismissed Israeli arguments that Yakhont
could be transferred by Syria to the Iranian-sponsored Hizbullah. The
Kremlin has acknowledged that its anti-tank weapons were relayed to
Hizbullah for use during the 2006 war against Israel.
"A similar system was previously supplied to Syria," Serdyukov said.
"Yakhont is simply more modern. And if that system did not get into the
hands
of terrorists, then why should this one?"