Belarus leader downplays possible deployment to Syria

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus’ authoritarian president says he has no intention of sending troops to Syria to serve alongside Russian forces in the country but is holding the door open for a potential deployment of military medics there. Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko’s comment Tuesday followed the publication of a draft agreement between Russia and Belarus that envisages the deployment of up to 200 Belarusian military personnel to Syria. The document released by the Russian government Monday is yet to be signed by the countries. The news comes amid increasingly close defense ties between the two ex-Soviet neighbors. It drew immediate strong condemnation from the Belarusian opposition.