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Ivanov calls for controls on shoulder-fired missiles
Moscow, June 08: Russia`s Defence Minister called today for stricter controls on exports of shoulder-fired missiles, saying the weapons are dangerous tools that to often fall into terrorist hands.
Moscow, June 08: Russia's Defence Minister called today for stricter controls on exports of shoulder-fired missiles, saying the weapons are dangerous tools that to often fall into terrorist hands.
Defence Minister Sergei Ivanov made his comments a week after the leaders of Russia and other G-8 countries meeting at a summit in France issued a joint action plan designed to stop terrorists from acquiring portable missile systems.
``Unfortunately (shoulder-fired missiles) fall into the hands of terrorist organizations and are used as weapons against civilian aircraft,'' Ivanov said arriving in Kazakhstan, where he is to meet tomorrow with other defence minister from the commonwealth of independent states, a loose grouping of 12 former Soviet Republics.
Channel one television, which broadcast Ivanov's comments, said Russia will push for stricter controls at the meeting.
“It is necessary to create a mechanism to control transfers of these very dangerous weapons abroad,'' Ivanov said, apparently meaning beyond the borders of the CIS.
Ivanov said that a Russian strela system was used to fire missiles that just missed an Israeli charter plane after it took off from Mombasa, Kenya, last November with 271 people on board, the Itar-Tass news agency reported. US officials believe al-Qaida launched the attack.
Strela missiles of the type believed to have been used in the attack, a 30-year-old design known in western countries as the SA-7 grail, have been produced in Russia, eastern Europe, China, Yugoslavia, Egypt and elsewhere and are widely available through illicit arms markets.
Bureau Report
``Unfortunately (shoulder-fired missiles) fall into the hands of terrorist organizations and are used as weapons against civilian aircraft,'' Ivanov said arriving in Kazakhstan, where he is to meet tomorrow with other defence minister from the commonwealth of independent states, a loose grouping of 12 former Soviet Republics.
Channel one television, which broadcast Ivanov's comments, said Russia will push for stricter controls at the meeting.
“It is necessary to create a mechanism to control transfers of these very dangerous weapons abroad,'' Ivanov said, apparently meaning beyond the borders of the CIS.
Ivanov said that a Russian strela system was used to fire missiles that just missed an Israeli charter plane after it took off from Mombasa, Kenya, last November with 271 people on board, the Itar-Tass news agency reported. US officials believe al-Qaida launched the attack.
Strela missiles of the type believed to have been used in the attack, a 30-year-old design known in western countries as the SA-7 grail, have been produced in Russia, eastern Europe, China, Yugoslavia, Egypt and elsewhere and are widely available through illicit arms markets.
Bureau Report