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Lavrov: Russia not supplying arms to Syria

Published: Feb. 15, 2013 at 11:58 AM

MOSCOW, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Russia has no troops in Syria and is not delivering arms to the country, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.

Lavrov said Russia's only personnel in Syria are some technical staff workers at the Tartus naval support facility, RIA Novosti reported.

"It is not a military base but a ship maintenance and servicing point. It is not big enough to be called a military base," Lavrov said.

Lavrov reaffirmed Russia's position of no longer sending arms to the Syrian government, RIA Novosti said.

"We have only completed the implementation of contracts for the delivery of air-defense systems to the Syrian government, which have already been paid for," he said.

"The military equipment that we have delivered to Syria is designed to protect Syria against outside aggression," Lavrov said.

Topics: Sergei Lavrov

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