DJ Iran,Syria Mins Say They Won't Open For Weapon Inspectors

[peterh]

(sorry - no link yet)


DAMASCUS (AP)--Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi, at a joint press
conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Saturday, said Syria
and Iran won't follow Libya's example in opening up to U.N. weapons inspectors
"because they do not possess such weapons," Syria's official news agency
reported.
Last month, Libya agreed to dismantle its long-secret nuclear and other terror
weapons programs under international supervision.
Kharrazi said both Iran and Syria have always sought a Middle East free of
weapons of mass destruction, adding that Iran "was the victim of these weapons,
which were provided by the United States to the former Iraqi regime" under
Saddam Hussein.
Iran and Iraq fought a war from 1980-88.
Al-Sharaa described his talks with Kharrazi as "constructive" and said Iraq's
territorial integrity was "a priority for Iraq's neighbors." He reiterated
Syria's call that there be a timetable for ending the U.S.-led occupation of
Iraq.

01-03-04 1532ET(AP-DJ-01-03-04 2032GMT)



Hmmm….me thinks this years SOTU is going to resemble last years to a certain degree….double negatives will flourish….

[chasqui]

1. Media gambit, I think

....Thereby avoiding a media build up for the masses back in the USA.