US takes aim at 'rogue nation' Syria

By STEVE HOLLAND

WASHINGTON - The United States increased pressure on Syria today by threatening sanctions over charges that Damascus is harbouring Iraqi leaders, developing chemical weapons and supporting terrorism.

"Syria is indeed a rogue nation," said White House spokesman Ari Fleischer.

With Saddam Hussein toppled, Washington has directed its ire towards Syria, charging that some Iraqi government leaders and members of Saddam's family may have escaped across the border into Syria, with assent from Damascus.

Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said the United States has "intelligence that indicates that some Iraqi people have been allowed into Syria," either to stay or in transit. He gave no names and did not say where they went after leaving Syria.

And Rumsfeld said Syria was also allowing people to cross into Iraq.

"We have intelligence that shows that Syria has allowed Syrians and others to come across the border into Iraq, people armed and people carrying leaflets indicating that they'll be rewarded if they kill Americans and members of the coalition," Rumsfeld said.

US officials stopped short of threatening to extend the Iraq war into Syria but insisted all options remain on the table. Analysts doubted Washington would launch military action, and expect it to use diplomatic pressure to try to persuade Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to change course.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said there was a "new environment" in the region and the United States will examine "diplomatic and economic" measures against Syria, which on Monday denied it had chemical weapons or that it had co-operated with Iraq.

"The only chemical, biological and nuclear weapons in the region are in Israel, which is threatening its neighbours and occupying their land," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Buthaina Shaaban said.

Israel is widely believed to have about 300 nuclear warheads, but its policy is never to discuss the issue.

Rumsfeld accused Syria of carrying out tests involving chemical weapons over the past 12 to 15 months and allowing some Iraqis to flee into Syrian territory.

The United States also renewed charges that Syria supports terrorist activity. Syria remains on the State Department's list of states that sponsor international terrorism for backing the anti-Israeli militant groups Hamas and Hizbollah.

"In light of this new environment they (Syria) should review their actions and their behaviour, not only with respect to who gets haven in Syria and weapons of mass destruction but especially the support of terrorist activity," Powell said.

Syria is not party to international convention banning chemical weapons, and so is under no legal constraint not to have them.

Syria voted in favour of last November's UN Security Council resolution demanding Iraq disarm itself of weapons of mass destruction.

Speaking to reporters, Fleischer read from a CIA report to Congress for January-June last year on the "acquisition of technology relating to weapons of mass destruction and advanced conventional munitions."

"Syria sought CW (chemical weapon) related precursors and expertise from foreign sources during the reporting period. Damascus already held a stockpile of the nerve agent sarin, but apparently is trying to develop more toxic and persistent nerve agents," the report said.

Asked why the Bush administration was raising the weapons of mass destruction charge against Syria now, when it had not done so over the last six months, Fleischer said: "It's a relevant fact."

Israel has long charged that Syria, the main power broker in Lebanon, served as a conduit for Iranian arms shipments to Hizbollah, including long-range surface-to-surface missiles.

Shaaban said Damascus did not see the volley of accusations as a "threat".

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said earlier in the day that Syria had co-operated with Saddam's rule, an accusation rejected by Syria.

"There was never any cooperation between Damascus and Baghdad, our support was for the Iraqi people who have suffered the plights of wars," Shaaban said.

Syria vehemently opposed the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war despite harsh criticism from fellow Arabs, and took part in the 1991 US-led Gulf war that ousted Iraqi troops from Kuwait, ending their seven-month occupation.

Economically reliant on illicit Iraqi oil supplies and ideologically close to its ruling Baath party, Syria strongly opposes the US-led war in Iraq. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has also repeatedly rapped Damascus for allegedly supporting Iraqis fighting the war and for helping senior Iraqi leaders enter Syria.

- REUTERS

Herald Feature: Iraq war