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US summons Syria diplomat over Scud transfer
[Al Arabiya Latest] The senior Syrian diplomat in Washington was summoned to the State Department on early Tuesday to review "provocative behavior" regarding a potential transfer of Scud missiles to Hezbollah, a State Department spokesman said."The most senior Syrian diplomat present in Washington today, Deputy Chief of Mission Zouheir Jabbour, was summoned to the Department of State to review Syria's provocative behavior concerning the potential transfer of arms to Hezbollah," department deputy spokesman Gordon Duguid said in a statement. "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the transfer of any arms, and especially ballistic missile systems such as the Scud, from Syria to Hezbollah," State Department spokesman Gordon Duguid said in a statement. "We call for an immediate cessation of any arms transfers to Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations in the region," the statement said. The United States has not confirmed whether it has actual information on an arms transfer. However, a senior administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "We wouldn't have called them in if we didn't think something was going on." The State Department said this was the fourth time in recent months that Washington has raised the issue with the Syrian Embassy. The diplomatic quarrel is likely to put a damper on President Barack Obama's administration's year-long campaign to engage Syria, a former U.S. foe, and energize its thwarted push for a broad Arab-Israeli peace, particularly between Israel and the Palestinians. Posted by: Fred 2010-04-21 |
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