Obama approves aerospace system for Syria
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Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Obama approves aerospace system for Syria
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has authorized a Saudi project to supply aerospace systems to Syria, in what was seen as the suspension of U.S. sanctions. ShareThis
Government sources said Obama directed the Commerce Department to approve the export of U.S. components for Syria's fleet of Boeing 747 aircraft. The sources said a Saudi defense company would supply and install the components in the aging Syrian dual-use aircraft.
The Commerce Department has not confirmed the approval. Boeing, however, acknowledged that Commerce approved an export license for Syria on Feb. 2.
The sources said the approval by Commerce marked a departure from nearly five years of sanctions by the outgoing Bush administration. Under the Syrian Accountability Act, Syria was to be denied all but food and humanitarian supplies from the United States. Bush aides said Syria had used passenger jets to ferry weapons from Iran to Hizbullah in Lebanon.
"This was an issue that has been on the back-burner for a long time," a government source said.
The decision would allow Boeing to overhaul two 747s for the state-owned Syrian Arab Airlines. Boeing has contracted its Saudi-based venture, Alsalam Aircraft Co., to conduct the overhaul.
Commerce, however, argued that the repair of the Boeing 747s would prevent air accidents. The sources said the department said this would come within the definition of U.S. humanitarian exports to Damascus.
Syria has reported several U.S. measures to improve relations under the Obama administration. On Feb. 15, Syrian ambassador to the United States, Imad Mustafa, said the U.S. Treasury Department approved the transfer of $500,000 to a Syrian charity.
Mustafa's announcement came on the eve of the visit by a U.S. Senate delegation to Damascus. The delegation was headed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Sen. John Kerry, scheduled to meet President Bashir Assad.
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