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U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice speaking at a press conference last week in Washington. (AP)
Last update - 00:00 18/04/2008
Rice: Syria 'most certainly an issue in nuclear proliferation'
By Shmuel Rosner and Yoav Stern, Haaretz Correspondents

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters on Thursday that "Syria is most certainly an issue in proliferation."

Responding to reporters' questions, Rice spoke at length about the talks between the U.S. and North Korea, which also addressed the issue of North Korea's relations with Syria. The U.S. is demanding that North Korea reveal all past activity relating to nuclear proliferation, including its ties to Syria. These came to light following September's airstrike in Syria, which foreign reports have attributed to Israel.

Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Watan reported on Thursday that Syrian technical teams are in Russia to take delivery of an advanced antiaircraft missile system, the Pantsyr-S1. This is part of a large Syrian-Russian deal, paid for by Iran, to supply new missile defense systems to the Syrian army.
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As part of the conclusions the Syrian army drew from the Second Lebanon War, Damascus decided to procure cutting-edge surface-to-surface missiles and antiaircraft missiles. To that end, major deals were signed with Russia, some of which are being funded by Iran.

Some of the Persian Gulf states also requested similar systems. Russia failed to meet delivery schedules, but is continuing to train Syrian teams to operate them.

Israeli defense officials believe Russia is using the threat of these arms deals for leverage in its diplomatic battle with the U.S. over the deployment of missile defense systems in Eastern Europe.

Related articles:
  • Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel
  • U.S. Senate to discuss N. Korea-Syria nuclear ties
  • Israel concerned N. Korean nuclear know-how, material has reached Iran
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      1.   tell russia,syria,and iran to go suck a big em! 03:05  |  guess who 18/04/08
      2.   Twaddle 03:37  |  Mark Lincoln 18/04/08
      3.   Power is shifting 04:35  |  najour 18/04/08
      4.   1.Mark Lincoln,there is an Iran equivalent of Ahmad Chalabi, 04:56  |  lakshmi 18/04/08
      5.   Lakshmi - just another shovel 05:37  |  Mark Lincoln 18/04/08
      6.   Typo Discovered -- Oops 05:48  |  Mark of Lewiston 18/04/08
      7.   #3, najour, good post.... 06:00  |  Silvienne 18/04/08
      8.   Russia 06:14  |  Bruce Rubin 18/04/08
      9.   Now Rice claims that Syria is not entitled to self defense? 06:39  |  Natallie Durson 18/04/08
      10.   Russia & Arms Supply 06:50  |  ROBOCOP 18/04/08
      11.   Thank Goodness, it`s not the sophisticated Skyguard Lasers.... 07:30  |  Magnify 18/04/08
      12.   MARK LINCOLN - a traitor?? 08:01  |  David 18/04/08
      13.   Russia won`t miss an opportunity.... 08:17  |  R 18/04/08
      14.   Mark and Lakshmind 09:02  |  David 18/04/08
      15.   Cold War 09:12  |  Sami 18/04/08
      16.   To #3 keep thinking this 09:21  |  Maurice 18/04/08
      17.   #9, Durson 10:07  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/08
      18.   Rice needs another gig, fast 10:15  |  Fake Pollard 18/04/08
      19.   SYRIA: AN EASY WAY OUT FOR COVER UP 11:07  |  indrajaya 18/04/08
      20.   Syria: Rice `most certainly does nothing for peace proliferation` 11:15  |  Michael 18/04/08
      21.   Kohn 11:18  |  Natallie Durson 18/04/08
      22.   Kohn - A further note 11:31  |  Natallie Durson 18/04/08
      23.   syrian cutting edge missiles 11:52  |  harzion 18/04/08
      24.   Clueless cluelessness at it`s most clueless 11:59  |  Stephen of New York 18/04/08
      25.   Durson, I have to log off now; will try to answer later 12:03  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/08
      26.   What about Israel? 12:07  |  The Prince 18/04/08
      27.   David - the traitors are those who lie 13:49  |  Mark Lincoln 18/04/08
      28.   # 5 Mark Lincoln....how much oil has been 13:49  |  Lynn 18/04/08
      29.   # 17 Durson....Syria wants Lebanon 13:57  |  Lynn 18/04/08
      30.   #14 Cipora Julianna Kohn 14:21  |  Stephen of New York 18/04/08
      31.   The ME-cold war 15:13  |  AliciaYasmeen 18/04/08
      32.   Without excuse 15:17  |  wallace 18/04/08
      33.   Only in Israel Rice has a voice 15:30  |  Ben 18/04/08
      34.   MARK LINCOLN - a traitor?? 15:51  |  american 18/04/08
      35.   to najour sina 16:03  |  mok 18/04/08
      36.   5,Mark Lincoln,neverthless,the Crime Syndicate is still a danger 16:33  |  lakshmi 18/04/08
      37.   rice 16:53  |  azad 18/04/08
      38.   lakshmi do you know what a wanker is? 17:38  |  harzion 18/04/08
      39.   How Olmert will apologize for not informing the IAEA 17:41  |  Tosefta 18/04/08
      40.   We want Mosiach 18:32  |  Robert/Montreal 18/04/08
      41.   #9 Once again Natalie have you joined the Mexicans? 18:39  |  Robert/Montreal 18/04/08
      42.   The haters always a presence always isolated 18:53  |  Robert/montreal 18/04/08
      43.   Ref #33 Natalie is that true ? 19:00  |  Boss Hog 18/04/08
      44.   Durson Deflects - Its Proliferation, Silly, Not Self-defense 19:19  |  JP 18/04/08
      45.   I agree Robert 19:20  |  Roy Palmer 18/04/08
      46.   Mark Lincoln doesn`t even wear a FLAG LAPEL PIN!! 19:20  |  Pablo B 18/04/08
      47.   #17 - Dear Nads, Whatever do you mean? 19:27  |  JP 18/04/08
      48.   to bruce rubin 19:30  |  kalum 18/04/08
      49.   And before Syria, it was Iraq...right? 19:36  |  Ibrahim 18/04/08
      50.   #19, Durson 20:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/08
      51.   Hi JP perfect score! she never answers my questions read post 39 20:13  |  Robert/Montreal 18/04/08
      52.   #20, Durson 20:19  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/08
      53.   #27, Lynn, "Syria wants Lebanon" 20:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 18/04/08
      54.   #46 Ibrahim - before Syria and Iraq, it was the Gulf of Tonkin 20:49  |  Pablo B 18/04/08
      55.   Mark Lincoln P1 21:00  |  TonyL 18/04/08
      56.   Mark Lincoln P2 21:01  |  TonyL 18/04/08
      57.   from a lebanese christian 22:27  |  wolverin 18/04/08
      58.   11. David 23:37  |  a wandering Jew 18/04/08
      59.   cipora and the nuclear elephant 01:01  |  Truth 19/04/08
      60.   The hypocrisy of Rice everyone`s a problem but Israel 01:09  |  Dutch 19/04/08
      61.   #37, Tosefta`s complaint 01:23  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 19/04/08
      62.   wolverin -when you say we #55 01:41  |  Roo 19/04/08
      63.   But Ibrahim 01:44  |  Roo 19/04/08
      64.   Get the IAEA into Israel first 06:15  |  betz55 19/04/08
      65.   Isn`t Israel a more urgent issue? 11:18  |  Jens 19/04/08
      66.   #62 Roo...Hadad Died Of Cancer 14:04  |  .. 19/04/08
      67.   Cipora #61 about "Portnoy`s complaint "(#39) - not informing IAEA 14:55  |  S 19/04/08
      68.   The problem of reverse evolution (Bird from Outerspace #61) 15:18  |  Tosefta 19/04/08
      69.   Olmert`s reasons for not infoming the IAEA 17:29  |  Theo Von Egmond 19/04/08
      70.   Syria is no serious threat according to IDF right ??? 17:45  |  M. S. 19/04/08
      71.   tosefta in your case it is not the appearance 18:54  |  harzion