حزب الإصلاح السوري

Stricter Missile Control Urged for Syria

Washington DC, October 8, 2004 /RPS News/ - Over 30 nations attending a global disarmament conference in South Korea expressed "serious concerns’’ about missile proliferation in "Northeast Asia, the Middle East and South Asia’’ on Friday, in an apparent reference to countries such as North Korea, Iran, and Syria.

At the end of their five-day annual general assembly in Seoul, officials from the 34 member states of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) pledged to work harder for their common cause of nonproliferation, according to the press release.

"Partners acknowledged that the risk of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and their means of delivery remains a major threat for global and regional security," the statement said. "They also reaffirmed their determination to continue discouraging missile programs and activities of proliferation concern."

During the meeting, Syria was directly mentioned as a cause for concern, but the press release did not identify her clearly, describing only the regions, officials said.

The participants also shared the same opinion on the need to enhance export controls and study more to check the "intangible transfer of technology and transit, transshipment and brokering controls," they said.

MTCR is a set of guidelines regulating the export of missiles, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and related technology for those systems capable of carrying a 500 kilogram payload at least 300 kilometers, as well as systems intended for the delivery of WMDs.

The nonproliferation regime was formed in 1987 by the G-7 partners, and is an informal voluntary arrangement, not a treaty or an international agreement. South Korea joined the regime in 2001.

About 220 officials attended this week’s meeting, chaired by South Korea. Bulgaria was admitted as a new MTCR member and Spain was named as the host for next year’s meeting.

Reform Party of Syria

Assad and Katami Meet in Damascus

Washington DC, October 8, 2004/RPS News/ -- In a planned visit to Damascus but announced only one day earlier, Khatami of Iran met with Assad Thursday night. Also present were Abdul Halim Kaddam and Farouq al-Shara'a, two hard-line Ba'athists and architects of Syrian foreign policy in the region.

According to SANA and IRNA, talks during the meetings dealt with the latest developments in the Palestinian Territories and the current situation in Iraq.

Both presidents stressed the importance of preserving Iraq's territorial integrity and independence. But Lebanon's sovereignty and independence did not come up during the discussions.

They also stressed the necessity of continuing coordination and consultation between the two countries and expressed hope to boost relations in the near future. Both sides also stressed the importance of intensifying meetings between them in a way to achieve security and stability in the region.

"We will discuss with ... Baschar al-Assad the bilateral relations and issues of the region in general, and we always exchange visits and consultations.. and this asserts the distinguished and special relations between Syria and Iran," Khatami said in a statement to the Syrian TV.

Reform Party of Syria