BELARUS, RUSSIA, S-300S AND IRAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000443

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM ETRD ETTC MARR IR BO
SUBJECT: BELARUS, RUSSIA, S-300S AND IRAN

REF: 04 MINSK 1327

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4(B,D
)


1. (C) Summary: A prominent British journal recently wrote
that Moscow might be selling S-300 anti-aircraft missile
systems to Iran, using Belarus as a middleman to hide the
sale. Although all three governments have denied such a
sale, on April 21 Minsk received its first delivery of
Russian S-300PS missiles. On that same day Russian Defense
Minister Sergey Ivanov was in Minsk with a delegation of
military officers dscussing, among other things, expanding
anti-airraft cooperation, and a senior Iranian delegation
was also in Minsk, supposedly seeking to expand cmmercial
ties with Belarus. While such a coincidnce is by no means
conclusive, it certainly raiss questions about the
possibility of illicit misile sales. End summary.


2. (U) On April 17, Brtish journal Jane's Defence Weekly
wrote that its sources report Russia isselling S-300PS
anti-aicraft missile systems to Iran, using Belarus as a
cut-out. Since that article was published, the Belarusian,
Russian and Iranian governments have all denied that any such
sales are taking place. Belarusian Defense Minister Leonid
Maltsev called such reports "fantasy," and told the press the
GOB does not have the legal right to re-export the S-300s it
is acquiring from Russia. Iranian Commerce Minister Massoud
Mir-Kazemi told reporters in Minsk on April 21, "The question
of deliveries of S-300 systems was not discussed. From the
viewpoint of military technology, we are self-sufficient and
there is no need for us to consider buying weapons abroad."
According to international press reports, Russia has admitted
it is selling Tor-M1 missile systems to Iran.


First S-300s Delivered
--------------


3. (U) Maltsev announced that the first of four S-300PS
missile systems arrived in Minsk by special train from Russia
on April 21. (Note: By "systems" Maltsev likely means
battalions. Belarus already has other S-300 units active.
Post is unclear why these latest deliveries are receiving so
much press, unless it is intended as a dig at NATO -- the new
S-300s will be deployed on the Polish border.) He said the
other three systems would arrive by the end of the year.
Previously it had been announced that the first delivery
would take place in March, then it was said this was pushed
back to June. There was no advance notice of this delivery.
Maltsev said Belarus is to receive 24 S-300 launchers, and
press reports claim they will go into service with the 115th
Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade, headquartered in Brest.


Russian Defense Minister in Town to Discuss Air Defense
-------------- --------------


4. (U) According to Belarusian press, Russian Defense
Minister Sergey Ivanov and a delegation of military officers
were in Minsk April 21. In a televised meeting Ivanov
announced that Russia and Belarus should sign the documents
to integrate their air defense networks by the end of 2006.
In practical terms, he said this means a joint air defense
command would be created with the authority to deploy
aircraft and air defense systems across the
Russian-Belarusian border without having to wait for any
political decision. Maltsev agreed, and added that the two
sides just have to complete some "paperwork" before an
agreement could be signed. Ivanov and the Belarusians also
discussed a large-scale joint military exercise to be held in
Belarus in June. Russia intends to send 1,500 servicemen,
Tu-160 strategic bombers, SU-27 fighters and an AWACS
aircraft under the control of Russia's 20th Army to Belarus
for the exercise.


Meanwhile, an Iranian Trade Delegation Visits
--------------


5. (U) From April 17 to 21 an Iranian delegation, headed by
Commerce Minister Massoud Mir-Kazemi, visited Minsk.
Mir-Kazemi explicitly told the press he did not meet with the
Russian delegation and did not discuss the transfer of S-300s
or nuclear cooperation during his visit. Other members of
the delegation, the seventh Belarusian-Iranian Commission for
Trade and Economic Cooperation, included Deputy Commerce
Minister Mehdi Ghazanfari, senior advisor to the Iranian
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Asadol Asgaroladi,

MINSK 00000443 002 OF 002


representatives of the Iranian companies Keyson and
Pooyandegan Rah Saadat, and other unnamed Iranian
businessmen. According to press reports, the Iranians met
with President Lukashenko, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir
Semashko, the Ministers of Trade and Industry, senior
officials from the Ministry of Energy, the State Aviation
Committee, Minsk City Executive Committee, the Belarusian
National Technology Transfer Center, and Belneftekhim. The
Iranians also reportedly visited the companies Min
sk Tractor Works, Amkodor, BelAZ, Integral, and others.
Lukashenko asked Mir-Kazemi to pass to Iranian President
Ahmadinejad that Minsk would honor "all its earlier
commitments to Tehran," but did not specify what these
commitments were.


6. (U) The Iranians signed a number of agreements during
their visit, including a Memorandum of Understanding on
transferring technical and engineering services between the
two countries, an agreement between Pooyandegan Rah Saadet
and Integral (Belarus' largest manufacturer of microchips) to
manufacture medical monitors in Belarus, and between Keyson
and the Minsk Free Economic Zone on investment (Keyson is
building a USD 110 million truck stop near Minsk). The
Iranians were especially interested in buying earth moving
equipment from BelAZ and Amkodor (specifically Amkodor 208B
and 451A loaders and 332S-01 and 342S5 multi-purpose
chassis). The Iranians and Belarusians also reportedly
discussed increasing cooperation in banking, and increasing
assembly of MAZ trucks in Iran and Samand cars in Belarus.
Belarusian Minister of Industry Anatoly Rusetsky stressed,
"There are no dual-purpose goods in the agreement, we are
developing trade in economic and scientific areas."
Mir-Kazemi also stated that all trade
between the two countries is strictly civilian.


Comments: We're Skeptical
--------------


7. (C) DATT Comment: Vo Slavu Rodiny (official newspaper of
the Ministry of Defense) has written that the unit accepting
the S-300PS systems, the 115th Air Defense Brigade, has
prepared firing positions for the S-300s (which require
different positions than the SA-3s they are replacing). The
unit is also reportedly renovating barracks and the mess hall
required for the expected increase in personnel. The GOB has
publicized the arrival of the S-300s too much for Belarus to
be able to simply send all arriving S-300 units on to Iran.
End DATT comment.


8. (C) Post Comment: Post has no information to prove or
disprove allegations that Belarus is planning to ship S-300s
to Iran. However, the coincidence of the first S-300
delivery arriving early, when Russian air defense experts are
in town, along with an Iranian Commerce Ministry delegation
in Minsk raises some eyebrows.
Krol