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           US: Russian Missile Shipments to Syria 'Very Unfortunate'

   The top U.S. military officer says Russian missile shipments to Syria
   are "ill-timed" and "very unfortunate."
   The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey, said
   Friday the missiles will embolden President Bashar al-Assad and prolong
   the suffering in Syria. He said Mr. Assad could think the missiles
   somehow will make him safer and more prone to a miscalculation.
   The New York Times says the Russian anti-ship cruise missiles are more
   advanced than previous shipments. Russia has said it is fulfilling its
   contractual obligations to Syria and has no interest in seeing
   President Assad remain in power.
   Russia and the United States are working on putting together an
   international peace conference on Syria for next month. The meeting
   would bring the opposition and Syrian government together and pave the
   way for a new transitional government.
   France`s Foreign Ministry said Friday it opposes Iranian participation
   in the peace talks. A spokesman says France cannot see how a country
   that threatens regional stability like Iran can take part.
   Russia has said Iran, a close Syrian ally, must be included in the
   talks and accuses the West of trying to narrow the circle of
   participants. The United States has not yet said who can attend, saying
   it does not want to make any pre-determinations.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/us-russian-missile-shipments-to-syria
   -very-unfortunate/1663442.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-russian-missile-shipments-to-syria-very-unfortunate/1663442.html