Syrian Foreign Minister Abdul Halim Khaddam paid a secret visit to Moscow this week to discuss fears and warnings of an Israeli attack, the daily As Safir reported Saturday.
Quoting Arab sources in Damascus, the newspaper said Khaddam returned to Syria Thursday.
It said he discussed ‘increasing Israeli threats against Syria’ with Soviet officials, but gave no further details.
In recent weeks, the Soviet press has been implying that an Israeli attack on Syria is imminent. Some observers have interpreted this as an attempt to justify the shipment of Sam-5 and reportedly Sam-11 missiles to Damascus.
President Hafez Assad paid two secret visits to Moscow during Lebanon’s summer war, Arab sources said at the time, and put bilateral relations on a much-strengthened footing.
After the war, the sources said, Moscow resupplied Syria with more than it lost in all major categories except aircraft, the delivery of which is slower.
The Syrians were reported especially pleased with the resupply of sophisticated T-72 tanks.