U.S.: Syria Supporting Terror Groups, Developing WMD

October 5, 2003
By Nathan Guttman, Haaretz Correspondent and Agencies

Undersecretary of State John Bolton on Tuesday vehemently attacked Syria and said it was a rebellious country, like Iran, North Korea and Libya. Bolton told a congressional hearing that Syria is developing weapons of mass destruction and supporting terror organizations, and that the combination poses a serious threat to both U.S. and international security.

Bolton said that the United States must keep open the option of using "every tool" - code for the remote possibility of military action - to dissuade Syria and others from pursuing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

While saying the United States had yet not found any information to substantiate media reports that Iraq might have transferred some of its suspected weapons of mass destruction to Syria, Bolton said Washington was concerned by the reports.

Bolton added that Syria continues to support Hezbollah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad - groups the United States considers terrorists - and that it is allowing militants to cross the border into Iraq.

But Bolton asked the Congress committee members to be patient and allow Secretary of State Colin Powell time to bring about a change in Syria's behavior.

Syria's foreign minister on Tuesday rejected the U.S. accusations and said his country was willing to meet "reasonable" U.S. demands within the framework of international legitimacy.

Foreign Minister Farouk Sharaa spoke at a press conference with European Commissioner for External Relations Christopher Patten, before the U.S. Congress opened the hearing on Syria.

"This is not the first time in which the U.S. Congress makes an unjust accusation against Syria," Sharaa said.

He said Syria, which opposed the U.S.-led war on Iraq, was ready to cooperate with America "if the U.S. demands are within the framework of international legitimacy, for the sake of Iraq's unity and in order to find a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict."

Blaming Israel for his country's strained relations with the United States, Sharaa said, "I hope Congress would not adopt a deformed image about Syria which it receives from others." - Undersecretary of State John Bolton: U.S. must use every tool to dissuade Syria from pursuing weapons of mass destruction.

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=340935&contrassID=1