Assad says facility Israel bombed not nuclear-paper

The Syrian site Israel bombed in September was not part of a nuclear weapons programme, but was a military facility under construction, President Bashar al-Assad said in remarks published on Sunday.

"Is it logical? A nuclear site did not have protection with surface to air defences? A nuclear site within the footprint of satellites in the middle of Syria in an open area in the desert?" Assad told Qatar's al-Watan newspaper in an interview conducted before the U.S. accusations were made.

At that stage, he was commenting on media reports that said the target was a nuclear site. "The truth is that the raid was at a military site under construction," Assad said in the interview. "We are against mass destruction weapons for Israel, Iran or others."

Assad said it was illogical for Syria to seek a nuclear bomb. "Where would we use it? On Israel it would kill the Palestinians. I do not see this as logical."

Assad accused Washington of ignoring a Syrian proposal to make the Middle East a region free of weapons of mass destruction "because it included Israel".

In 2003, when Syria was a member of the United Nations' Security Council, the Arab state pushed for a ban on nuclear, biological and chemical weapons in the Middle East in what was seen than as a bid to shine a spotlight on Israel's arsenal.

Israel is believed to have about 200 nuclear warheads but the country's policy is not to discus the issue -- which some diplomats say is an open secret.

Speaking after the U.S. accusations, Syria's ambassador to the United States dismissed as "a fantasy" the U.S. allegations.

Assad said he did not know why Israel, officially at war with Syria since the 1973 Middle East conflict, bombed the site.

"Why did they raid it, we do not know what data they had, but they know and they see through satellites; they have raided an incomplete site that did not have any personnel or anything. It was empty," he added.

Asked about Syria's response, Assad said: "Retaliation does not mean a missile for a missile, a bomb for a bomb or a bullet for a bullet ... They (Israelis) understand what we mean. We do not say that we will retaliate, i.e. we will bomb."

"You have to ask a different question; had Syria not been harming Israeli policy would Israel have carried out an operation of this sort? The truth is that we have the means to respond, but in our own way."

"We understand Israel wants to provoke Syria and possibly to drag Syria into war while we do not seek war. We have been clear about this point. We have other means and we do not necessarily have to declare them."

Assad refused to answer a question about reports that Syria was seeking to acquire Russian missiles.

"If there was a door open, even if it was small, for peace you should not seek war but you should seek to defend yourself. Now are you prepared or not, psychologically we are always ready and constantly prepare ourselves, but in terms of results no one knows results until the battle itself."

Watan ran part of the interview on Thursday in which he said Damascus was ready to negotiate with Israel through Turkey to "find common ground" for peace, but any direct talks must wait until a new U.S. president is elected.

Syria says it received word from Turkey that Israel was willing to give back the occupied Golan Heights in full in return for peace with the Arab state -- a key issue that led decade-long negotiations to falter in 2000.

Damascus- Commenting on US. Secretary of State denial of any deal reached with Syria regarding Former Lebanese Premier , Rafik Hariri's assassination , President Bashar al-Assad said that Syria was not used to reaching any political deals whatsoever , and the issue of the international tribunal has nothing to do with Syria , and Syria supported the preliminary investigations.

He described the US. Secretary of State statement as worthless particularly in the light of an administration that lacks credibility.

Concerning the aim of the accusation directed to Syria of assassinating Hariri , and other assassination crimes in Lebanon, President al-Assad indicated that Syria has been targeted for a number of years because of her stances and the assassinations crimes in Lebanon aimed at creating instability in Lebanon and goes against the interest of Syria and according to the American proverb "No one opens fire at his own toe" ..that is impossible!!.

Concerning the appointment of Michel Suleiman as president for Lebanon , president al-Assad stressed that he can not speak for Lebanon , but Lt. Gen. Suleiman is well known and is a good person by various standards.

Regarding the continued postponement of electing a Lebanese president, the president said that there ought to be agreement on all issues generally , Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri is entrusted by the Lebanese constitution with a certain establishment and he determines the issue according to his conviction.

He added that Syria did not accept the principle of exercising pressure in dealing with the Lebanese parties.

Concerning the official Lebanese –Syrian diplomatic relations , President al-Assad said he was the first to raise the issue in 2005 at the last meeting of the Syrian-Lebanese Higher Council when Syria signed the decision of troops withdrawal from Lebanon , and Syria recognizes Lebanon as an independent state and as a member of the Arab League.

Regarding the Syrian diplomatic action to follow up the decisions which were taken during Damascus Arab Summit, the president indicated that the atmosphere of the summit was a source of optimism for him to make a tour in his capacity as chairman of the summit soon among all the Arab countries and Syria has no problem with Riyadh or with Cairo.

Regarding Sharm Sheik Summit which was held after Damascus Summit and linked any détente in the Arab relations with finding a solution to the Lebanese crisis, the president indicated that Syria encourages any Arab or non Arab party to act for finding a solution to the Lebanese crisis.

Regarding the mediation between Syria and Israel, the president indicated that the mediations have been taking a number of forms sometimes by a foreign official visiting Syria or by some Jewish leaders in the world who move toward Syria.

The president added that last week and through a phone call by Turkish Prime Minister, Erdogan , came the news that Olmert is ready to return the Golan .

The president went on to say that Israel has been proposing direct negotiations but direct negotiations need a sponsor and this sponsor should be the United States , but it is regretting that the United States has no vision nor the will for the peace process.

Concerning the Israeli accusation to Syria of violating UN. Security Council Resolution 1701 by supplying arms to Hizbullah , the president stressed that Israel which violates the Lebanese airspace by its warplanes , and the Israeli raid against Syria last September was on a military post under construction , and was not a reactor for a nuclear program.

On Syria's readiness to go to war with Israel , the president indicated that all know that Israel receives a big support from the United States and all know that the Israeli army is a strong army and the July war in 2006 proved that a group of resistance fighters managed to repel the Israeli army.

He stressed that Syria will remain seeking for peace and only considers war as an option when no longer there is a room for peace , but Syria will remain ready to defend herself.

Concerning Emad Maghnia assassination , the president indicated that the investigation still going on and that it is natural to accuse Israel of the assassination because she is the prime beneficiary , but no clear thing can be announced before the investigations end.

On opening the corruption files which are presumed to be connected with the current reform process, the president indicated that opening the corruption issue which is deeply-rooted and complicated issue , needs a rational approach beginning from the administrative reform in Syria.

Regarding Syria's vision of Carter's efforts to include Hamas in the peace process, the president stressed once again that the current US. administration is lacking credibility within America itself so how such an administration can have credibility in Syria.

With regard to Syria's good offices to mend fences between the Palestinian authority and Hamas, President al-Assad said that Syria is standing at the same distance from both sides , and Syria remains confident that the disputes and differences can only benefit Israel.

Regarding Syria's support to Iran's right obtain nuclear energy, President al-Assad stressed that all states have that right and not only Iran , but Syria is against weapons of mass destruction weapons , and Syria proposed a draft resolution to the UN. Security Council in 2003 for dismantling weapons of mass destruction in the region, but draft resolution remained in the drawers.

Concerning the possibility of eruption of war between the United States and Iran, the president indicated that the region will pay the price of such a war for almost a century.

With regard to the Turkish military operations to uproot Kurdistan workers party fighters from northern Iraq , the president stressed that Syria's position is very clear in that the operations of the Kurdistan Workers Party fighters against the Turkish military and civilians are unacceptable and rejected.

Concerning the tendency of independence of the Iraqi Kurds, the president said that the main Kurdish leaderships denied such a tendency which is considered as posing a danger not only on Iraq , but also on the national security of Syria ,and the neighbouring Arabs , Turkey and Iran have the same position.

Concerning the expected peace conference in Moscow , the president indicated that the conference is not determined yet .

Concerning Syria's relations with Qatar, the president said that thanks to the leadership of Emir of Qatar , and the first meeting was him was during his first visit to Qatar in 2003 and the relations between the two countries have been built on candidacy, and Syria deals with Qatar on equal footing and as independent state, pointing out that Qatar is seeking in its policy to extend political aid to Syria as a sisterly country.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad highlighted Iranian friendship with the Arab states.

 In an interview with the Qatari daily Al-Watan which appeared in the paper's Sunday edition, the Syrian president ruled out the Israeli propaganda campaign that Iran may be an enemy to the Arab states.

 Referring to the current regional crises, particularly situation in Iraq, President Assad stressed the need for establishing cordial ties between regional countries.

 He said that Iran plays effective role for regional peace and security.

 The Syrian president said there are many common grounds between the Iranian and Arab civilizations.

 With a rich and ancient history, Iran's civilization is close to that of the Arab states while the country placed at the heart of the region.

 President Assad said that all regional countries should acknowledge the fact that Iran, a major regional power, plays a significant role for the peace and stability in the region.

DAMASCUS, - The United States is a key player in the Middle East peace process, while Russia lacks clout, Syria's president said on Tuesday.

 "This was also the case during the Soviet era," Bashar al-Assad said in an interview with the Qatar newspaper Al Watan, going on to state that, "The U.S. plays a leading role in the peace process in the Middle East due to its special relationship with Israel."

 He also doubted the viability of a Middle East peace conference in Moscow, pointing out that neither its time frame, nor format or agenda has been defined yet.

 Russia, a member of the Quartet of Mideast mediators, has offered to host a conference in Moscow as a follow up to last November's U.S-sponsored meeting in Annapolis, Maryland.

 Assad added that Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's visit to Damascus in March had done nothing to clarify the situation.

 "Should the conference take place after all, it is unlikely to be a success due to Israel's uncompromising position," the Syrian president said.

 He also offered the opinion that an intermediary capable of exerting effective pressure on Israel was critical to the success of the peace process, saying however, that, "Russia is unable to pressure Israel today, just as it was unable to in the past."