Israel urges Russia to halt arms deals

WASHINGTON, Sept. 10 (UPI) -- Israel's ambassador to the United States is urging Russia to halt moves to sell sophisticated weapons systems to Syria and Iran.

Sallai Meridor says Russia shouldn't express its anger with Israel over its support of the Georgian government as a pretext for actions in the Middle East that are far more destabilizing, the Washington Times reported Wednesday.

"Were Russia to continue to supply lethal, sophisticated arms to Syria, this would be destabilizing and dangerous for Israel and for peace in the region," Meridor told the newspaper. "We hope that they will not do that."

Israel reportedly supplied $300 million in armaments to the Tblisi government last year, prompting Russian leaders to seek ways to counter that support. But Meridor said sales of advanced air defense systems to Iran and Syria would upset attempts by Israel to broker Middle Eastern peace deals.

Russia, however, says Israel's arms sales to Georgia, a former Soviet republic, is stoking conflict in that region.

"Russia is against any military aid to Georgia and would like to see that country demilitarized," Evgeny Khorisko, spokesman for the Russian U.S. embassy, told the Times.