MOSCOW — The European Union's plans to inspect aircraft and ships for violations of the arms embargo imposed on Syria cannot be applied to Russian planes and ships, Roman Pukhov, the director of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technology, told Interfax-AVN on Friday.
“Only aircraft and ships of the European Union are subject to this
requirement. The EU has no international legal right to inspect aircraft
and ships belonging to countries that are not its members, including
Russia,” Pukhov said.
Pukhov was commenting on media reports saying that the EU plans to
adopt a resolution in Brussels on Monday to inspect aircraft and ships
suspected of violating the arms embargo imposed on Syria.
It is impossible to imagine a situation in which a Russian ship
sailing to Syria, whichever cargo it may be carrying, would be stopped
and searched, he said.
“This is impossible in terms of law and in the military-technical
context. It is absolutely impossible to imagine EU servicemen boarding
Russian ships,” he said.
Russian-Syrian military-technical cooperation is proceeding in strict
compliance with international law, he said. “Syria is not under UN
Security Council sanctions. Therefore arms deliveries to the Syrian
authorities are not banned,” Pukhov said.
