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http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/cg/Qmideast-syria-us-russia.RByr_COD.html [The so-called Axis of Evil hit list has recently been expanded by the US State Department and White House to include, in addition to the first generation of targets - Iraq, Iran and North Korea - any number of nations accused (without evidence) of everything from making unprocessed uranium available to alleged North Korean and Iraqi agents to selling radar and assorted dual use equipment to the original Evil Triad or in some other murky and undisclosed manner contributing thereto. As of midnight today, the list includes Russia, Ukraine, Syria, Belarus, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Armenia, Gabon, Namibia, South Africa and the Bosnian Serb Republic, with the latter's probably last remaining industrial plant being raided by NATO-SFOR soldiers yesterday in the name of saving the world from imminent nuclear incineration.] Damascus demands US ambassador explain Washington's anti-Syria comments -The relations between Syria and the United States have been strained since summer by the US push to invade neighbouring Iraq as well as the US Congress' call to impose sanctions on Syria for backing armed militant groups opposed to Israel. "The United States knows that Syria adheres to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and welcomes delegations from the International Atomic Energy Agency whose reports attest that the Syrian nuclear programme is devoted only to civilian activities," SANA said. DAMASCUS, Oct 13 (AFP) - The Syrian foreign ministry lodged a formal complaint with the US ambassador here against the State Department's branding Syrian-Russian nuclear cooperation a threat to US interests, the state's SANA news agency reported. "The minister demanded from US ambassador Theodore Kattouf an official explanation of the (recent) declarations of a US State Department spokesman," SANA said. The State Department said Friday it has held longstanding concerns about Syria's nuclear and missile programs and Russian assistance to them. "It is a matter of public record that the United States is concerned about Russian cooperation with Syria's nuclear and missile programs," spokesman Richard Boucher told reporters. Syria is one of seven countries the United States has designated a "state sponsor of terrorism" but US officials have generally not focused on its nascent missile and nuclear programs as an area of concern. The relations between Syria and the United States have been strained since summer by the US push to invade neighbouring Iraq as well as the US Congress' call to impose sanctions on Syria for backing armed militant groups opposed to Israel. "The United States knows that Syria adheres to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty and welcomes delegations from the International Atomic Energy Agency whose reports attest that the Syrian nuclear programme is devoted only to civilian activities," SANA said. The Syria foreign ministry also accused Washington of turning a blind eye to Israel's possession of nuclear weapons. The ministry said it was "disturbed by the military cooperation between Israel and the United States as well as Washington's silence on Israel's nuclear programme." "Israel still refuses to submit its installations to international inspections. It is the only Middle Eastern state that possesses nuclear arms as several reports conducted by the United States attest," it said. Israel has never formally admitted its possession of nuclear weapons, which it is believed to have achieved in the 1950s with assistance from France. In 1995 Israeli pressure on Argentina prevented it selling Syria a low-power nuclear reactor for non-military use. ------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ptd.net/webnews/wed/dr/Qus-syria-russia.RpAw_COB.html US says it is concerned about Syrian nuclear and missile programs -"Broader access to the expertise of Russian entities could provide opportunities for Syria to expand its indigenous capabilities, should it decide to pursue nuclear weapons," Boucher told reporters. "While Iran's programs for weapons of mass destruction are much larger than Syria's, and we have therefore devoted a great deal of attention to Russian cooperation with Iran's weapons of mass destruction programs, the more general problem of weapons of mass destruction development and proliferation is an area of key concern for this administration." WASHINGTON, Oct 11 (AFP) - The United States said Friday it has held longstanding concerns about Syria's nuclear and missile programs and Russian assistance to them. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said comments made on the subject earlier this week by Under Secretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton were in line with past US policy, despite little having been said about it previously. "It is a matter of public record that the United States is concerned about Russian cooperation with Syria's nuclear and missile programs," Boucher told reporters when asked why Bolton had mentioned the topic in Congressional testimony. However, he allowed that Washington had placed greater emphasis on Russia's cooperation on such projects with Iran, but said the Syrian programs were also of interest. "Broader access to the expertise of Russian entities could provide opportunities for Syria to expand its indigenous capabilities, should it decide to pursue nuclear weapons," Boucher told reporters. "While Iran's programs for weapons of mass destruction are much larger than Syria's, and we have therefore devoted a great deal of attention to Russian cooperation with Iran's weapons of mass destruction programs, the more general problem of weapons of mass destruction development and proliferation is an area of key concern for this administration," he said. "We are concerned about proliferant states gaining access to Russian technology and expertise, and Syria is a country of concern in this regard," he said. Syria is one of seven countries the United States has designated a "state sponsor of terrorism" but US officials have generally not focused on its nascent missile and nuclear programs as an area of concern. Iran, by contrast, is not only a "state sponsor of terrorism" in US eyes, but is also a charter member of President George W. Bush's "axis of evil" along with Iraq and North Korea. __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
