Syrian Foreign Minister Abdel Halim Khaddam arrived in Moscow Thursday to seek more Soviet military aid in the wake of Israel’s annexation of the occupied Golan Heights.
Khaddam met with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko for talks that the Tass news agency said dealt with the annexation and Soviet support for Syria.
‘It was pointed out that Israel’s provocative attempt to legitimize the annexation of Syria’s Golan Heights is a direct consequence of the anti-Arab Camp David collusion,’ Tass said.
The talks were held within the framework of a Syrian-Soviet friendship treaty and appeared to be aimed in part at broadcasting the message that Israel, by annexing the Golan Heights, was pushing Syria closer to the Kremlin.
Khaddam said in a recent interview that the Syrian-Soviet treaty should be expanded to counter the ‘imperialist-Zionist’ threat if the United States vetos an Arab resolution now before the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions against Israel.
The United States suspended a military cooperation agreement with Israel because of the annexation but is certain to veto any attempt to impose sanctions.
Tass referred to the debate and its likely outcome, saying ‘the United States pays lip-service to the condemnation of the annexation of the Golan Heights while continuing to encourage Israel.’
Diplomatic sources said Khaddam would ask for more military aid, offering in return to coordinate Syrian foreign policy more closely with Moscow’s.
Tass quoted Gromyko as saying Moscow is committed to ‘solidarity with the struggle of the Syrian and other Arab peoples to restore their legitimate rights and ensure the territorial integrity of their countries.’
Tass said Khaddam expressed his gratitude for the Kremlin’s ‘invariable aid’ in ‘the struggle for the restoration of justice and peace in the Middle East.’
