US okays Patriot, troops to Turkey; Damascus pounded after blasts
Russia yesterday said that it had not changed and would not change its controversial stance on Syria, after a top Russian diplomat said the defeat of the Syrian regime was possible.
In a bid to play down claims of a sudden about-turn in Russian policy, the foreign ministry irritably insisted the diplomat had made no special commentary for the media.
“We have never changed our position (on Syria) and we never will,” foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said.
Deputy Foreign Minister Bogdanov said at a meeting of the Public Chamber oversight body on Thursday that the Syrian regime “is losing more and more control” and it was not excluded that President Bashar al-Assad could lose the conflict with the rebels.
The United States swiftly welcomed Bogdanov’s comments, saying it appeared Moscow was “finally waking up to the reality”.
It is not clear if Bogdanov — who is also the Kremlin’s special envoy for the Middle East — was aware that his remarks were on the record and would be reported by Russia’s news agencies.
Russia has so far refused to turn against Assad’s regime despite the conflict, which according to rights groups has killed 42,000 people since March last year.
Moscow has been seen by the West as a staunch ally of Assad’s regime since opposition rebels first launched their bid to topple him in March 2011.
With China, it has vetoed three UN Security Council resolutions, backed by the United States, aimed at imposing sanctions.
Meanwhile, the United States will deploy two Patriot missile batteries to Turkey along with 400 troops to help defend its ally against potential threats from neighbouring Syria, US officials said yesterday.
US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta issued the order before landing at the Incirlik airbase in Turkey after a visit to Afghanistan, his spokesman said.
Turkey is a “very strong ally” and the US government is prepared in the context of Nato to support the defence of Turkey,” Little said.
Germany and the Netherlands also have agreed to provide advanced “hit-to-kill” Patriot weapons, which are designed to knock out cruise and ballistic missiles as well as aircraft.
The move coincides with rising fears the Syrian regime may resort to using chemical weapons against rebel forces and after Assad’s army unleashed Scud missiles in recent days.
US and European leaders have warned the Assad regime not to use its arsenal of chemical arms, calling it a “red line” that would trigger international military action.
Turkey has vowed to defend its territory after cross-border artillery fire wounded civilians and following the downing of one of its fighter jets.
On the ground, Syrian regime forces yesterday bombarded southern districts of Damascus a day after two deadly car bombings, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
On Thursday at least 135 people — 77 civilians, 31 rebels and 27 soldiers — were killed across the country, the Observatory reported.
Source: The Daily Star
