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N Korea denies Syria nuclear ties | N Korea denies Syria nuclear ties |
(about 1 hour later) | |
North Korea has denied allegations that it may be helping Syria develop a nuclear weapons facility. | North Korea has denied allegations that it may be helping Syria develop a nuclear weapons facility. |
The foreign ministry in Pyongyang called the claims an "unskilful conspiracy" and "groundless". | The foreign ministry in Pyongyang called the claims an "unskilful conspiracy" and "groundless". |
There were allegations last week that Syria was holding technology or materials relating to North Korea's nuclear programme. | There were allegations last week that Syria was holding technology or materials relating to North Korea's nuclear programme. |
This follows reports that Israeli jets entered Syrian air space earlier this month and hit an unknown target. | This follows reports that Israeli jets entered Syrian air space earlier this month and hit an unknown target. |
"Recently some US media including the New York Times have been spreading allegations that we are secretly helping Syria with its nuclear programme. Such reports are groundless and misleading," a ministry spokesman said. | "Recently some US media including the New York Times have been spreading allegations that we are secretly helping Syria with its nuclear programme. Such reports are groundless and misleading," a ministry spokesman said. |
He also dismissed reports that North Korea could be helping Syria build a nuclear weapons facility. | He also dismissed reports that North Korea could be helping Syria build a nuclear weapons facility. |
"We, as a responsible nuclear power, already declared in October 2006 that we will never allow the transfer of nuclear materials, and we have been sticking to this declaration," the spokesman said in a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency. | "We, as a responsible nuclear power, already declared in October 2006 that we will never allow the transfer of nuclear materials, and we have been sticking to this declaration," the spokesman said in a statement published by the official Korean Central News Agency. |
The suspicions were "nothing but an unskilful conspiracy" fabricated again by "impure forces" who do not want to see "progress in six-party talks and in relations between Washington and Pyongyang", the spokesman added. | The suspicions were "nothing but an unskilful conspiracy" fabricated again by "impure forces" who do not want to see "progress in six-party talks and in relations between Washington and Pyongyang", the spokesman added. |
No comment | No comment |
Syria has formally complained to the United Nations about the alleged raid by Israeli aircraft over its territory. | Syria has formally complained to the United Nations about the alleged raid by Israeli aircraft over its territory. |
Israel has repeatedly refused to comment on the alleged raid. | Israel has repeatedly refused to comment on the alleged raid. |
There has been speculation over what the likely targets of the Israeli raid may have been. | |
One, cited by the New York Times newspaper quoting a US source, suggests that the attack was in some way linked to North Korea. | |
The former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, in a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, raised the possibility that Syria was sheltering technology or materials relating to North Korea's nuclear programme. | |
Another suggestion is that maybe a missile store or factory with weaponry heading to Hezbollah in Lebanon was hit, says BBC diplomatic correspondent Jonathan Marcus. | |
Israel has long complained the Damascus government is at the very least turning a blind eye to such weapons supplies coming from Iran, our correspondent adds. | |
Syria and Israel remain technically in a state of war. | Syria and Israel remain technically in a state of war. |
Peace talks broke down in 2000 over the fate of the Golan Heights, the strategic plateau captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East War. | Peace talks broke down in 2000 over the fate of the Golan Heights, the strategic plateau captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East War. |