SYRIA ADVANCES MILITARY EXERCISE SKED
TEL AVIV [MENL] -- Syria has advanced its military schedule in what could signal plans for war with Israel in 2007.
Officials said Syria has decided to conduct a series of major military exercises in May through July. They said the decision was meant to accelerate preparations for a war against Israel in the summer of 2007.
"Syria is now in the middle of an unprecedented process of a huge military buildup," Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh said. "They have acquired state-of-the-art Russian weapons, huge quantities of long-range rockets and missiles."
Officials said Syria was close to concluding negotiations to purchase advanced anti-aircraft systems from Russia. They said the systems could include the S-300PMU1 air and missile defense system as well as the TOR-M1 mobile short-range anti-aircraft battery.
SYRIA ADVANCES MILITARY EXERCISE SKED 
