• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

INDEX
FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1999
Briefer: JAMES P. RUBIN

RUSSIA
7-9	US Imposition of Sanctions on Three Russian Entities for Transfer of Lethal Military Equipment to Syria

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #43
FRIDAY, APRIL 2, 1999
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

...........

QUESTION: Can I follow up on Russia? Can you confirm that the United States has imposed sanctions against three Russian entities for selling anti-tank missiles?

MR. RUBIN: Under specific circumstances, U.S. law requires that certain assistance be held from any foreign government that transfers lethal military equipment to a country determined by the Secretary of State to be a state-sponsor of terrorism. Syria was so designated. The law allows the Secretary to waive such sanctions, in whole or in part, if she determines that to do so is important to the national interests of the United States.

In accordance with the law, the Secretary has determined that Russia has transferred lethal military equipment, specifically anti-tank guided missiles, to Syria. She has decided to sanction the three Russian firms directly involved in the transactions, the Tula Design Bureau, the Volsk Mechanical Plant, and a third group whose name I am not going to even try to pronounce. She will waive sanctions against the Russian government.

In addition to the assistance cut off to these entities, the Department, in consultation with relevant agencies, decided to ban US Government procurement from and to prohibit the export of US munitions list items to these entities. The Russians were informed of this, I believe, yesterday. These measures will remain in place until one year after the transfers have ceased, or until the Secretary determines that it is important to U.S. interests to waive it.

QUESTION: Why did she waive sanctions on the government?

MR. RUBIN: The Secretary makes these decisions. Approximately $90 million in assistance to the Russian Government was potentially affected. We are not currently aware -- of this... I mean, this is a decision you make based on a variety of circumstances, and I will get the formal justification for you after the briefing.

QUESTION: The $90 million will go forward then? It might have otherwise been --

MR. RUBIN: She makes a decision that it's important to the national interest. As far as the justification for that, I'll give you --

QUESTION: I'm sorry, this number again, it's $90 million?

MR. RUBIN: Correct.

QUESTION: That would have been withheld?

MR. RUBIN: If we had not waived, yes.

QUESTION: If you had not waived. What's it for?

MR. RUBIN: For assistance to the Russian government. I don't have more detail on that, but I will be happy to provide it for you after the briefing.

QUESTION: Do you have the dollar value of the actual sanctions?

MR. RUBIN: We'll provide additional detail on this subject to you after the briefing, yes. ...........

QUESTION: Just to go back to the sanctions again?

MR. RUBIN: I have no additional information that I have not already provided to you.

QUESTION: This is on the Secretary's decision. I just want to be clear what your saying. She decided that there was no sanctionable activity by the Russian government?

MR. RUBIN: Additional information on this particular subject will be provided after the briefing.

...........

[end of document]