Posted on 10/02/2001 7:24:01 AM PDT by b4its2late
RUSSIAN, IRANIAN DEFENCE MINISTERS SIGN MILITARY-TECHNICAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT
MOSCOW, OCTOBER 2, 2001 /FROM RIA NOVOSTI'S OLGA SEMENOVA/ -- Russian and Iranian defence ministers Sergei Ivanov and Ali Shamkhani signed an agreement on military-technical cooperation Tuesday.
Speaking to journalists, Sergei Ivanov stressed that the agreement was not secret, corresponded to the norms of international law, to all the standards and was nearly similar to the respective agreements between Russia and other countries.
Ivanov recalled that the signing of the document had been agreed upon back in March 2001 when Iranian president Mohammad Khatami visited Moscow.
Iranian defence minister Ali Shamkhani highly assessed the agreement achieved. He emphasized that it was not aimed against the third countries and was designed to strengthen peace, strategic stability in the region and cooperation in other areas.
1. bin Laden is the inspiration and may have played a planning role, but did not provide the infrastucture or the troops.
2. We should be looking very hard, initially at the 1st line of powers, such as Iraq, Iran and ... PAKISTAN, behind the whole (misnamed as "terrorism") raft of assymetrical warfare that is being ramped up against the West. What we have seen during the 1990s and this year is only a precursor to what is to come.
3. He described the current unfolding asymmetrical offensive on the West (and, countries elsewhere with a "Western" outlook, such as Japan and Taiwan) as "The First Phase of World War Three".
4. He implied that we should look at the great power sponsors (he didn't name names, but we know them to be China and Russia) who back the above state sponsors of asymmetrical warfare against the West et al.
Either Bush et al are playing dumb, or..... argghhhhh!!! :(
Russia, Iran sign military deal
Tuesday, 2 October 2001 10:36 (ET)
MOSCOW, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- Russian and Iranian defense ministers signed Tuesday a military-technical cooperation deal between the two countries, the official RIA Novosti news agency reported.
Iran's Ali Shamkhani arrived in Moscow Monday for a four-day visit that included talks with Russia's Sergei Ivanov. The visit was originally scheduled for September and was subsequently postponed as it overlapped with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's trip to the Russian capital.
According to Ivanov, Tuesday's agreement "is not secret, complies with all stipulations of international law, all standards and is practically identical with the agreements that Russia has with other countries."
The Russian minister added that the deal was agreed to in principle in March during Iranian President Mohammad Khatami's visit to Moscow.
Without disclosing any details in regard to potential arms sales, Ivanov mentioned that Russia was ready to sell Iran defensive weapons.
Shamkhani noted that the agreement was not directed against third countries and would "promote the strengthening of peace, strategic stability in the region, as well as cooperation in other areas."
During his visit, Shamkhani is expected to discuss with Russian government officials and Security Council members a number of civilian projects envisioned by bilateral trade agreements in energy, transportation and other sectors.
"Cooperation (between Russia and Iran) already existed, but today it is becoming more topical as the situation in the region dictates the necessity to step it up in all directions," Shamkhani said.
As they spoke on regional stability, the ministers dismissed speculations that the Russian-Iranian partnership would disrupt the balance of power in the region.
"Russia has never supported any change of the power balance in the region, moreover its disruption," said Ivanov.
Shamkhani and Ivanov also raised the issue of combating terrorism following the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York and Washington, which left more than 6,000 people dead or missing.
"If the decision to strike (the Taliban) is taken by the United Nations, Iran will naturally support it," Shamkhani said of U.S. intentions to punish Afghanistan's ruling regime. The Taliban is harboring the chief suspect in the attacks, alleged terror mastermind Osama bin Laden.
However, the Iranian minister expressed concern over the accuracy of eventual strikes, fearing innocent civilians might be killed in the process.
"The roots of terrorism should be discovered and subsequently destroyed without harming the people," added Shamkani.
Ivanov pointed out that Moscow and Tehran had been fighting an ongoing battle against drug trafficking in Afghanistan which "provides the financial backing for terrorism."
"The territory of Afghanistan is a shelter for many terrorist groups as well as a tremendous market for the narcotics trade," added Ivanov.
The ministers agreed that double standards in dealing with terrorism worldwide should be dropped if the initiative were to achieve a breakthrough.
At the end of Tuesday's talks, Shamkhani officially invited Ivanov to visit Iran.
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Copyright 2001 by United Press International.
All rights reserved.
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I would like to know the details of the secret deals between the two.
About a week or so ago, the Iranians said "We really don't want you attacking neighboring countries if we don't like it." Then a couple days ago a high Defense officer said "You know, if you keep going into our airspace like you did in 1991 we will start to think it's not an accident and we will do something about it." Now today, some people sign a defense agreement.
It's pretty obvious to me.
Tell me the 'context' that those that died in the WTC disaster experienced as they died...do you think that they thought "Damn, it's American imperialism that's killing me."??!?!?
You can't see the that the deaths of 6,000 Americans make your trivial tribal loyalties inmaterial. Your 'tribe' that you champion is about to be extinguished, and if you do not support that fact, then you are either not an American, or a traitor to those that have already died for your 'tribe'.
There is no "tribe" that's going to be extinguished, period, and all your sputtering will not change that one whit. Depending on how we play our hand, there may be some individual criminals who will meet that fate. But there will not be any mass revenge on millions of people of the kind you are living for.
People like you will either learn this the easy way, or the hard way, but learn this you will.
Our own law and principles, and the rest of the world too, are not going to permit us to avenge one great crime, by committing countless even greater crimes ourselves.
I've learned my lessons the 'hard way'. My DD-214 will attest to that. You precious arabs will learn from my team.
I will bet on it. I will not mourn your arab dead, ever.
There may be a place for you in the IDF for a very short time. Better get over there while the getting's good. Nothing for you over here.
Past history is only one indicator in evaluating potential threats.
Well ... that's the rub. In addition to "The Soviet Analyst", I also get that "Arab-Asian Affairs" from which I posted earlier this evening.
Nothing particularly "past" about it.
Gotta love a "world without border", eh? ;)
Gotta love a "world without borders", eh? ;)
Primary number ONE fear of Russia is spread of extremist Islam inspired by the Saudi Wahabites. The Chechnya is at present the focus of this subversive activity but there are plans to extend it all over Russia including the main Russian cities. Iran with its Shiite more conservative version of Islam and Iraq with the secularist regime can provide vital support and influence among 20 million Russian Muslims.
If United States/NATO/EU will insist on rooting for the radical Muslim movements and do not pressure their Saudi and Jordanian friends to cease and desists, Russia will have no other choice than to search for some allies in Muslm world. It is a matter of survival for Russia.
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