FLEXIBLE MORALITY IN ARMS SALES.

Late last month the deputy director of the state-owned arms export company Rosvooruzhenie said that his company had a code of honor and would not sell arms to Pakistan because of Russia’s close relationship with India. Rather piously, he added that in selling to India Russia had assumed a "definite moral responsibility" in the region. (Interfax, December 31)

Apparently these moral concerns do not apply to the eastern Mediterranean. Although Turkey was the first NATO member country to buy Russian weapons, Rosvooruzhenie has also been selling arms to the Greek-Cypriot government, threatening to alter the balance of power with the Turkish Cypriots backed by Ankara. This past weekend, sources in both Russia and Cyprus confirmed a multi-million dollar deal to sell S-300 anti-aircraft missiles complexes to the Cypriot government. Earlier deals have involved BMP-3 infantry fighting vehicles and T-80U tanks. In Ankara, the Turkish defense minister warned that Turkey would take "appropriate measures" if the missiles were delivered to the Greek Cypriots. (Xinhua, January 4, Itar-Tass, January 5)

Romania Signals Renunciation of Territorial Claims on Ukraine.