Al-Khaleej: Armitage deny militarily targeted countries; Powell to discuss Syrian call for end to mass destruction weapons in ME

US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage has stressed that the US seeks political and diplomatic means to settle issues of differences with Damascus.

In an interview with the United Arab Emirates UAE daily al-Khaleej ( the Gulf) issued yesterday, Armitage said that the US Secretary of State Colin Powell will visit Damascus and will discuss the Syrian call to make the Middle East a zone free from mass destruction weapons.

Armitage has denied the US has a list of countries the US plans to launch military attacks against. He stressed that the UN plays a vital role in Iraq that is not limited to humanitarian aspects, rather to help to enable Iraq from instal a regime chosen by the Iraqi people.

Regarding the Road Map plan for Palestine, Armitage stressed that there is no way to negotiate nor bargain it. He said "the settlement activity of the occupied Arab territories is not in line with the vision of the American President George Bush on the establishment of a Palestinian state and that this activity should be halted."