Syria is developing strategic weapons in cooperation
with North Korea, U.S. intelligence sources said.
The sources said Damascus has bolstered its defense ties with Pyongyang
and is discussing procurement of the No-Dong intermediate-range missile as
well as increased nuclear cooperation. Talks with North
Korea have intensified since the death of Syrian President Hafez Assad in
2000 and the succession by his son, Bashar, according to Middle East Newsline.
U.S. officials have quietly raised the issue with Syrian leaders over
the last few months, the sources said. They said Bashar appears to be
ignorant of the strategic weapons program, believed controlled by Syrian
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Ali Aslan.
"The feeling we are getting is that Bashar is not the address of our
concerns," a U.S. intelligence analyst said. "In contrast, his father at
least understood what we were talking about, even if he refused to respond."
The U.S. intelligence community has determined that Syria has been
amassing a short-range missile arsenal and is considering longer-range
weapons. So far, Syria has Scud-class as well as Soviet-made Frog and SS-21
missiles.
"Syrian regional concerns may lead Damascus to seek a longer range
ballistic missile capability such as North KoreaÕs No-Dong MRBM
[medium-range ballistic missiles]," the National Intelligence Estimate,
which represents the assessment of 13 U.S. intelligence agencies, said.
The report said that the intelligence community has determined that
Syria does not now have and is unlikely to gain an interest in an
intercontinental ballistic missile capability over the next few years.
But the report said Syria is interested in obtaining nuclear weapons.
The unclassified version of the report, submitted to Congress early this
month, did not elaborate but stressed that Damascus was seeking foreign
assistance.
"Syria has developed chemical warheads warheads for its Scuds and has an
offensive biological weapons program," the report said. The intelligence
community remains concerned about SyriaÕs intentions regarding nuclear
weapons.
