RUSSIA: TARIQ AZIZ AND SYRIAN PRESIDENT ASSAD ARRIVE IN MOSCOW

(5 Jul 1999) Natural Sound

Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Tariq Aziz arrived in Moscow on Monday for a surprise visit.

According to the Interfax news agency, Aziz was scheduled to discuss the United Nations' sanctions against Iraq, relations between Moscow and Baghdad and the situation in the Persian Gulf,

It was not disclosed with whom Aziz would meet.

Syria's President Hafez Assad also arrived in Moscow Monday afternoon, where he was greeted by a small crowd of chanting Syrians with flowers and banners.

Tariq Aziz arrival in Russia came as a surprise.

Neither Russia nor Iraq gave any indication of Aziz plan before Monday.

Later in the afternoon President Hafez Assad of Syria also arrived in Moscow.

Upon his arrival at the airport, Aziz denied any connection between the two visits.

SOUNDBITE: (Arabic)
"There is no secret in relation to my visit to Moscow. I've been invited to attend a meeting of former foreign ministers. As far as the simultaneous visit of President Assad to Moscow, I can assure you it is a coincidence. There was no prior coordination between President Assad and myself over this visit."
SUPERCAPTION: Tariq Aziz, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister

Aziz however, made no secret of the purpose of his visit - lobbying Russia for support on the lifting of sanctions.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are expecting the Security Council to make the right decision, the just and fair decision to lift the sanctions, that's all."
SUPERCAPTION: Tariq Aziz, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister

Iraq still owes billions of dollars to Russia, mostly for weapons purchased in the 1980s, Moscow hopes to get some of that money back through contracts to rebuild Iraq's oil industry once the sanctions are lifted.

Meanwhile, Syria is also discussing business with Russia.

In the Russian capital, Assad he's expected to be holding talks on upgrading Syria's military by purchasing new Russian armaments

Syrian President Hafez Assad arrived in Moscow on Monday for talks on upgrading his military with Russian hardware.

Russia's Interfax news agency reported Assad will discuss the possible purchase of fighter jets, tanks, anti-aircraft and anti-tank weapons.

Syria was a major market for Soviet weapons during the Cold War.

It is estimated that 90 per cent of Syria's military hardware was built in Russia or the Soviet Union.

Russian Prime Minister Sergei Stepashin and Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov greeted Assad at the airport.

Assad planned to meet with President Boris Yeltsin and other top officials before leaving on Tuesday evening.

Russia's Interfax news agency reported Assad will discuss the possible purchase of Su-27 fighter jets, T-80 tanks, and anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons.

The two sides also were to discuss the possibility of renegotiating Syria's debt to Russia, which is estimated at about 12 (b) billion U-S dollars.

Russia and Syria have sought to boost ties in recent years, to the protest of the United States.

This May, Russia and Syria signed a 10-year deal on cooperating in the peaceful use of nuclear power.

The United States has put sanctions on three Russian companies involved in the sale of anti-tank weapons to Syria, and threatened to cancel 50 (m) million U-S dollars in aid to Russia if the deal was completed.

The contract apparently never went through, because Assad abruptly canceled a planned trip to Moscow in May after the Russian government would not promise to finalize delivering the weapons.

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