[Dr. Aaron Lerner - IMRA:

"The deterioration was first noticed during the visit of Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman to Moscow several weeks ago. Lieberman, who prides himself
on his close ties with the Russian leadership, was surprised to hear the
Russians presenting a position on the missile deal contrary to their earlier
stance. "

Question: It was thought that as someone who "spoke their language" FM
Lieberman would succeed in making gains for Israel with Russia and former
states of the USSR. So far it is hard to identify the success. And last
week's reports that Israel was selling UAVs in return for a freeze in the
Russian S-300 sale to Iran was particularly brutal towards Israel, with the
Russians saying for the record that they were only buying them in order to
copy them.

So why have Lieberman's political rivals remained silent?

One can only hope that there is more to FM Lieberman's success with Moscow
than meets the public eye.]

Israel pressing Russia to cancel arms deal with Iran
By Barak Ravid Haaretz Last update - 02:04 29/06/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1096332.html

Relations between Israel and Russia have grown tense over a significant
change in Moscow's attitude regarding the possible sale of S-300 air defense
missiles to Iran. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called his Russian
counterpart Vladimir Putin and asked him to prevent the arms deal from going
through.

Ahead of a meeting between U.S. President Barack Obama with his Russian
counterpart Dmitry Medvedev next week, Israel has began an international
effort to pressure Russia not to complete the sale of the advanced air
defense system.

The deal between Russia and Iran for the sale of the air defense system was
signed more than a year ago, but external pressure, primarily from the
United States and Israel, led the Russian political leadership to delay its
implementation.

The Russian response to Israeli inquiries on the matter had been that they
do not intend to complete the deal. The same message was reiterated during
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's visit to Israel last month.

A senior political source in Jerusalem said that in recent weeks there has
been noticeable change in Russia's position on the matter of the arms sale.

The deterioration was first noticed during the visit of Foreign Minister
Avigdor Lieberman to Moscow several weeks ago. Lieberman, who prides himself
on his close ties with the Russian leadership, was surprised to hear the
Russians presenting a position on the missile deal contrary to their earlier
stance.

Medvedev told Lieberman that Russia has a signed contract with Iran and some
payments had already been made.

"It is a lot of money," Medvedev told Lieberman. "There is an economic
crisis at this time and we are having a very difficult time," the Russian
president explained to the Israeli minister.

According to a report in the daily Maariv, Medvedev had even suggested to
Lieberman that Israel purchase the defense system instead, or convince a
third country to buy them.

Haaretz has learned that Lieberman's response to the Russian proposal was
vague.

As a result of the negative impressions that Lieberman had during his visit
to Russia on the matter of the arms deal, Israel commenced intensive
diplomatic efforts vis-a-vis Russia, the U.S. and European countries in
order to restore the earlier Russian commitment not to complete the deal.

Netanyahu's call to Putin was part of this effort. The prime minister argued
that delivering the defense system to Iran would undermine the military
balance in the region. There have not been any reports on Putin's response.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak met a week ago at the Paris Airshow with the
Russian chief of staff, General Nicolai Makarov, and asked that he also
intervene to prevent the arms sale.

"Arms that will subvert the military balance in our region and which will
threaten stability should not be delivered in our region," Barak said.

The S-300 is considered to be one of the most advanced air defense systems
in the world, and its capabilities allow it to intercept aircraft flying
30,000 meters up, from 150 kilometers away.