Syria’s state-run media roundly rejected Thursday accusations by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that it was trying to develop a chemical and biological weapons arsenal.
“The accusations are totally unfounded. The U.S. agencies involved are fabricating stories, drawing the consequences and then warning against eventual dangers,” the official Tishrin daily said.
“The American administration wants to exaggerate matters concerning the Middle East to show that the security of the United States is really in danger,” it added.
“It is seeking to smear all the Arabs through its campaign against Iraq and through accusations against Arab countries that they are trying to develop weapons of mass destruction.”
Tishrin added that the Arab states fingered by the CIA “only seek to have defensive weapons, and it is out of the question to threaten American security.”
On its part, Libya denied Wednesday similar CIA claims that it was trying to acquire or expand weapons of mass destruction, AFP reported.
“These are allegations the CIA habitually puts out to serve interests hostile to the peoples” of other states, said foreign ministry spokesman Hassouna Al-Shawesh, pointing out that Libya is a signatory of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. (Albawaba.com)
