Syrian source denies British accusations
Syria-UK, Politics, 2/4/2002

Diplomats at the UN have said that Syria on Saturday Friday denied British accusations on that it had imported smuggled crude Iraqi oil in a violation to the UN sanctions.

News reports quoted the diplomats who attended Friday's meeting said that the Syrian representative Faisal al-Miqdad "denied in his reply to these accusations that Syria smuggles oil and noted that instead of that Syria erects a new pipeline that it hopes to put at the inspection of the UN." The diplomats explained that Britain challenged Syria over this issue during a close door session held on Friday by the UN sanctions committee imposed on Iraq.

Britain whose representative at the committee sits beside the Syrian representative expresses hopes that Syria will deal with the claims of smuggling oil instead of repeating its denial of this matter.

Diplomats from France and China commented saying that if Syria continues denying these accusations it would not be possible that the committee or the UN Security Council to take any tangible steps.

France and China say that Syria should not be mentioned, in particular, when there are also claims the crude Iraqi oil is smuggled via Turkey and Jordan.

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