RUSSIA: Foreign Ministry says Russian cargo ship that turned back home while travelling to Syria was carrying three repaired helicopters

Record ID: 735380

  • Title: RUSSIA: Foreign Ministry says Russian cargo ship that turned back home while travelling to Syria was carrying three repaired helicopters
  • Date: 22nd June 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 21, 2012) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY RUSSIAN FLAG RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ALEXANDER LUKASHEVICH TAKES SEAT IN BRIEFING RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY EMBLEM ON WALL (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ALEXANDER LUKASHEVICH, SAYING : "Today I would like to clarify the issue of the vessel, with regards to the many questions which have been asked on the transportation of the MI-25 helicopters for Syria, on board. I should say straight away that our main position on military-technical cooperation with Syria is already well known and has often been stated publicly. We maintain our military-technical links with Syria, while refusing to ship there any equipment which could be used against peaceful demonstrators." REPORTERS IN BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN ALEXANDER LUKASHEVICH, SAYING : "The vessel ' Alaed' sailing under a Curacao flag, set sail on June 11, carrying also MI-25 helicopters on board, these are the property of the Syrian government which must be returned to Syria after repairs. While crossing from the North Sea to the Atlantic, the owner of the ship was informed of the termination of the vessel's insurance by a third party and that the classification category of the vessel - I remind you it is sailing under the colours of Curacao - should be examined at any port. To prevent the ship being detained, the decision was taken to enter port in Murmansk where it is expected to arrive on Saturday, to change its flag to a Russian one." WIDE OF BRIEFING CAMERA CREWS LUKASHEVICH WITH REPORTER
  • Embargoed: 7th July 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA42B8PZGIN6OWDBA8DUD6F0HRV
  • Story Text: The Russian Foreign Ministry confirmed on Thursday (June 21) that a cargo ship that turned back toward Russia while travelling to Syria was carrying three repaired helicopters.
    "Today I would like to clarify the issue of the vessel, with regards to the many questions which have been asked on the transportation of the MI-25 helicopters for Syria, on board. I should say straight away that our main position on military-technical cooperation with Syria is already well known and has often been stated publicly. We maintain our military-technical links with Syria, while refusing to ship there any equipment which could be used against peaceful demonstrators," said Alexander Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesman at a briefing in Moscow.
    "The vessel ' Alaed' sailing under a Curacao flag, set sail on June 11, carrying also MI-25 helicopters on board, these are the property of the Syrian government which must be returned to Syria after repairs. While crossing from the North Sea to the Atlantic, the owner of the ship was informed of the termination of the vessel's insurance by a third party and that the classification category of the vessel - I remind you it is sailing under the colours of Curacao - should be examined at any port. To prevent the ship being detained, the decision was taken to enter port in Murmansk where it is expected to arrive on Saturday, to change its flag to a Russian one," added Lukashevich.
    Earlier on Thursday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the cargo ship that turned back toward Russia while travelling to Syria was carrying three repaired helicopters as well as air defence systems, according to Russian media reports.
    "The ship was carrying air defence systems, which can be (used) only for repelling foreign aggression and not against peaceful demonstrators ... and it was carrying three repaired helicopters," Lavrov told Ekho Mosvky radio, Interfax reported.
    Britain said on Tuesday (June 19) that the Alaed had apparently headed back toward Russia after a London-headquartered insurer withdrew coverage from the vessel, saying it had been told of allegations it was carrying weapons.
    Western nations want Russia to stop delivering arms to Syria but there is no U.N. embargo on such supplies and Russian President Vladimir Putin said this month that Moscow sends no arms that could be used in a civil conflict.
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