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| Version 7 | Version 8 |
|---|---|
| CIA reveals 'Syria reactor' files | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| US intelligence officials have been presenting evidence to Congress they say shows that North Korea has been providing nuclear assistance to Syria. | US intelligence officials have been presenting evidence to Congress they say shows that North Korea has been providing nuclear assistance to Syria. |
| The CIA says it has pictures proving that North Koreans were working inside a secret Syrian reactor, according to reports in the US media. | The CIA says it has pictures proving that North Koreans were working inside a secret Syrian reactor, according to reports in the US media. |
| The reactor was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike last year, the reports say. | The reactor was destroyed by an Israeli airstrike last year, the reports say. |
| Syria has repeated denials that it has any nuclear weapons programme, or any such agreement with North Korea. | Syria has repeated denials that it has any nuclear weapons programme, or any such agreement with North Korea. |
| The claims follows an unexplained air strike by Israel last September on a target inside Syria. | The claims follows an unexplained air strike by Israel last September on a target inside Syria. |
| 'Proliferation issue' | 'Proliferation issue' |
| The images - said to have been obtained by Israel - showed striking similarities between the Syrian facility and the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, reports said. There was no Syria-North Korea co-operation whatsoever in Syria Bashar Jaafari Syrian ambassador to UN Syria 'has some explaining to do' | The images - said to have been obtained by Israel - showed striking similarities between the Syrian facility and the North Korean reactor at Yongbyon, reports said. There was no Syria-North Korea co-operation whatsoever in Syria Bashar Jaafari Syrian ambassador to UN Syria 'has some explaining to do' |
| However, the facility was not yet operational and there was no fuel for the reactor, officials said. | However, the facility was not yet operational and there was no fuel for the reactor, officials said. |
| Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who attended the CIA briefing, said there was a "a serious proliferation issue, both for the Middle East and the countries that may be involved in Asia". | Republican Congressman Pete Hoekstra, who attended the CIA briefing, said there was a "a serious proliferation issue, both for the Middle East and the countries that may be involved in Asia". |
| The US needed "good, clear, verifiable information" from the countries involved before North Korea could be removed from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. | The US needed "good, clear, verifiable information" from the countries involved before North Korea could be removed from a blacklist of state sponsors of terrorism, the AFP news agency quoted him as saying. |
| North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in return for removal from the blacklist and aid as part of a six-nation deal agreed between North Korea and US, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia in February 2007. | North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear weapons in return for removal from the blacklist and aid as part of a six-nation deal agreed between North Korea and US, China, Japan, South Korea and Russia in February 2007. |
| The US has accused Pyongyang of missing the deadline to make a full nuclear declaration as promised. | The US has accused Pyongyang of missing the deadline to make a full nuclear declaration as promised. |
| Mr Hoekstra criticised the Bush administration for waiting eight months to brief the intelligence committee and warned that it could jeopardise any future agreement with North Korea. | |
| The White House has not commented on the Syrian reactor reports, but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said information on the issue could be made public "soon". | The White House has not commented on the Syrian reactor reports, but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said information on the issue could be made public "soon". |
| Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, denied the links. | Syria's ambassador to the UN, Bashar Jaafari, denied the links. |
| "There was no Syria-North Korea co-operation whatsoever in Syria. We deny these rumours," he said. | "There was no Syria-North Korea co-operation whatsoever in Syria. We deny these rumours," he said. |
| North Korea has previously denied transferring nuclear technology to Syria. | North Korea has previously denied transferring nuclear technology to Syria. |
| Landmark deal | Landmark deal |
| The BBC's Katya Adler in Jerusalem says the apparent strike on the reactor, deep inside Syria, was seen by many in Israel as a sign of their military prowess. | |
| But she says Israeli defence officials now have expressed concern over the revelation of classified data in the US. | |
| The CIA briefing coincides with the end of a two-day meeting between US and North Korean officials on Pyongyang's nuclear programme, which both sides say have gone well - fuelling speculation that a deal may be imminent. | |
| In the landmark deal reached in 2007, Pyongyang agreed to close its main reactor and divulge the full extent of its nuclear programme by December. | In the landmark deal reached in 2007, Pyongyang agreed to close its main reactor and divulge the full extent of its nuclear programme by December. |
| While it is taking steps to close its Yongbyon reactor, it has yet to produce a declaration of nuclear activities to the international community's satisfaction. | While it is taking steps to close its Yongbyon reactor, it has yet to produce a declaration of nuclear activities to the international community's satisfaction. |