June 19th, 2012
10:17 AM ET

Syria-bound Russian ship turning back, British diplomat says

[Updated at 11:26 a.m. ET] A Russian cargo ship reported to be carrying arms to Syria is turning back, Britain's top diplomat said Tuesday.

"I am pleased that the ship that was reported to be carrying arms to Syria has turned back apparently towards Russia," British Foreign Secretary William Hague told the House of Commons.

U.S. officials have said that the Russian operator Femco's cargo ship, MV Alaed, was headed for Syria with attack helicopters and munitions for the al-Assad regime from the port of Kaliningrad. The vessel had been off the north coast of Scotland, according to ship tracking data.

Hague commented on a ship during questions about the fighting in Syria during a wide-ranging House of Commons question-and-answer session about foreign policy. He didn't name the vessel.

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soundoff (37 Responses)
  1. saywhat

    Let us see how Russia reacts to this, with Putin appearing to be rather stand offish at the G-20 Summit.

    June 19, 2012 at 10:20 am | Report abuse |
    • Samuel

      What do you mean react ? Putin called the ship back ! The world is watching Russia. And this iw why he appeared so upset with the President yesterday. They discussed this issue. And he told him the world is watching. No bombs, no threats...just a statement infront of the world. Take that GOP !

      June 19, 2012 at 11:17 am | Report abuse |
  2. Syrious

    This is part of the secret agreement between Putin and Obama. It is a good sign to see that ship turned around.
    Perhaps we will now see some forward motion on getting a rational end to the constant murderings in Syria.

    June 19, 2012 at 10:57 am | Report abuse |
  3. Winterer

    saywhat.... there were you?

    June 19, 2012 at 10:59 am | Report abuse |
    • saywhat

      Footage was there on TV screens around the world.
      @samuel
      This is British diplomats reporting, Russia has yet to comment.

      June 19, 2012 at 12:36 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Tizzy

    Man my brother Obama showing Arussia whats up.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:01 am | Report abuse |
  5. Straigtalk23

    Thanks America. They do not need more arms.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:01 am | Report abuse |
    • saywhat

      Sure. Lets keep supplying arms to the 'rebels'.

      June 19, 2012 at 12:32 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Yury

    Funny, but according to Russia's several websites, that ship has NOT LEFT Russia's port and is empty at the time of writing... Who do we believe these days???

    June 19, 2012 at 11:03 am | Report abuse |
    • leave it alone

      sure isnt russia

      June 19, 2012 at 11:11 am | Report abuse |
    • FHTEX

      Well, I certainly don't believe the western media - they are nothing but arms of western intelligence agencies.

      June 19, 2012 at 11:17 am | Report abuse |
  7. Hope

    There is a purpose for everything, under heaven.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:06 am | Report abuse |
    • Miss Demeanor

      Believing in an invisible friend (giving gawwwd credit for everything pleasant and shifting the blame away from gawwwd for everything else) requires also believing that no innocent people suffer needlessly (eg: every single person that was murdered under orders of Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot and Hitler... every newborn who was killed or maimed in a plane crash, car wreck, tsunami, hurricane or earthquake) and anyone who suffers 'had it coming.'

      June 19, 2012 at 11:25 am | Report abuse |
    • Hope

      Is that, truly, the way you think I think? Or are you seeing yourself through MY eyes? Why? Because I said I was leaving it to God? Maybe some things are better left to Him. If it were up to us to judge one another, nobody would pass. Take it up with Him.

      June 19, 2012 at 3:07 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Looking good so far! Sometimes it helps to talk about differences.
    Bravo Obama and Putin yet again.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:07 am | Report abuse |
  9. Bill from GA

    Once again, President Obama's Foreign Policy works.

    Mitts would have bombed the ship.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:09 am | Report abuse |
  10. Joey Isotta-Fraschini ©™

    Sorry: Bravi.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:09 am | Report abuse |
  11. Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

    Panetta is getting slow. This should have been resolved last year.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:11 am | Report abuse |
  12. chaing

    It's a humanitarian shame that Russia and China support this murderous dictator. All for money. their value on human life is clear. I hope this is a sign of things changing for the Russians. In the mean time I am being more aware of where my products I purchase come from...and learn to do without if necassary. The only power that 'regular' humans have....purchase power!

    June 19, 2012 at 11:15 am | Report abuse |
  13. Obamajoe

    don't believe that,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,they should have bought enough arms for civil war a year ago,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,unless NATO will invade and they need some missiles from Russia,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    June 19, 2012 at 11:16 am | Report abuse |
  14. Obamajoe

    God bless America,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    God bless President Obama,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    June 19, 2012 at 11:17 am | Report abuse |
  15. joseph

    I agree, Obama met with Putin and bam the ship turns back.

    June 19, 2012 at 11:24 am | Report abuse |
    • Nick

      Yeah, okay. Putin was scared of what obamacan't had to say. LOL... One is the former head of KGB and the other a community organizer still to this day. LOL

      June 19, 2012 at 11:41 am | Report abuse |
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