You're reading: Belarus denies planning to sell weapons to Syria

MINSK - Belarus on Thursday, Sept. 20, denied trying to sell weapons to Syria and violating a U.N. Security Council resolution after the United States imposed sanctions on a Belarussian state-owned firm.

“All the accusations of the American side… have no basis
and are untrue,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Savinykh
said. Syria is embroiled in civil war with President Bashar
al-Assad battling an insurgency that grew out of popular
protests.

The U.S. Treasury said on Wednesday it was designating
Syria’s Army Supply Bureau and Belarus-based weapons company
Belvneshpromservice as contributing to the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction.

In March 2011, the Army Supply Bureau prepared to receive
possible fuses for general purpose aerial bombs from
Belvneshpromservice, according to the Treasury.

“This is nothing more than an attempt to put pressure on
Belarus for its open and principled stance in support of a
peaceful resolution of Syria’s internal conflict,” Savinykh told
reporters.

“Belarus always follows the U.N. Security Council
resolutions. The United States’ unilateral sanctions go against
the spirit of constructive interaction between nations.”

Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has long been at
odds with the West, which accuses him of being intolerant of
dissent and violating human rights.

In power since 1994, Lukashenko has traditionally sided with
Russia on international policy issues. Russia has been an
important ally and arms supplier to the Syrian government.