Syria denies nuclear goal

Syria and North Korea denied they are co-operating on a nuclear program for Syria, and they accused U.S. officials of spreading the allegations for political reasons – either to back Israel or to block progress on a deal between Washington and Pyongyang.

A front-page editorial in the government newspaper Tishrin also criticized the United States for failing to condemn a Sept. 6 Israeli incursion, which it called a violation of international law.

Details of the incursion remain unclear. U.S. officials have said Israeli warplanes struck a target. A senior U.S. nonproliferation official said last week that North Korean personnel were in Syria helping its nuclear program.

Syria has said only that warplanes entered its airspace and came under anti-aircraft fire. Israel has clamped a news blackout on the raid.