WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- The United States said on Thursday the assistance of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Syria's secret nuclear program is "a dangerous and potentially destabilizing development for the world."

    "We are convinced, based on a variety of information, that North Korea assisted Syria's covert nuclear activities," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said in a statement.

    "We have good reason to believe that reactor, which was damaged beyond repair on Sept. 6 of last year, was not intended for peaceful purposes," she said.

    The spokeswoman also demanded Syria "come clean before the world regarding its illicit nuclear activities."

    Syria said on Sept. 6, 2007 that its air defenses opened fire on Israeli warplanes that had entered its airspace at dawn and forced them to leave. In response, Israel said they were unaware of any such incident. The Bush administration also declined to comment on Syria's report at the time.

    Although the United States broke its silence over the matter seven months after Israel bombed the reactor and called Pyongyang's nuclear assistance to Syria a "dangerous manifestation" of proliferation, the White House said it remained committed to the nuclear disarmament talks with Pyongyang.

Syria denies U.S. allegations of DPRK-Syria nuclear cooperation

    WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Syria on Thursday "utterly" denied U.S. allegations that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea helped the country in construction of a nuclear reactor.

    "The government of the Syrian Arab Republic regrets and denounces the campaign of false allegations that the current United States administration continually launches against Syria claiming the presence of nuclear activity," the Syrian embassy in the United States said in a statement.   Full story

Israel fears U.S. hearings on Syrian reactor attack disclose top secret

    JERUSALEM, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Israeli defense officials in Jerusalem have expressed concern that classified details of Israel's bombing of a Syrian nuclear facility last September will be disclosed during U.S. congressional hearings on the incident Thursday in Washington, local daily Ha'aretz reported on its website.

    The American administration is slated to provide Thursday extensive details about the nature of the facility destroyed by the Israel Air Force (IAF) on September 6.   Full story

Spokesman: Israel interested in restarting peace talks with Syria

    JERUSALEM, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Israel was interested in restarting peace talks with Syria, a spokesman of Israeli Prime Minister's Office said on Thursday.

    "We are interested in peace with Syria. We know what the Syrians expect from negotiations and the Syrians knows what Israel wants from the negotiations," Mark Regev, spokesman of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, was quoted by local daily Ha'aretz as saying.   Full story