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04-22-2017, 11:12 AM
TEL AVIV: US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis said on Friday that Syria had dispersed its warplanes in recent days and that it retained chemical *******, an issue he said would have to be taken up diplomatically.
The United States launched dozens of missiles earlier this month against a Syrian air base in response to a chemical attack that killed 90 people, including 30 children.
It says the Syrian government launched the attack from the Shayrat air base.
The Pentagon has said that the strike had damaged or destroyed about 20 percent of the Syrian military’s operational aircraft.
During a press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart, Mattis was asked whether the Syrian military had moved warplanes to a Russian base in Latakia.
“They have dispersed their aircraft, ** doubt. They have dispersed their aircraft in recent days,” Mattis said.
Mattis also reiterated that the United States believed Syria had retained some chemical *******.
“The bottom line is, I can say authoritatively they have retained some (chemical *******).
It’s a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and it’s going to have to be taken up diplomatically,” Mattis said.
Israel’s military said on Wednesday it believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces still possess several tonnes of chemical *******.
A senior Israeli military ******r told Israeli reporters that “a few tonnes of chemical *******” remained in the hands of Assad’s forces, a military official told Reuters.
In a 2013 agreement brokered by Russia and the United States, Syria agreed to destroy its chemical *******.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical *******, a global watchdog, said sarin or a similar banned toxin was used in the April 4 strike in Syria’s Idlib province. Mattis later met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Before the start of their talks, Netanyahu said he was optimistic about relations between the two countries under the new US administration.
The two countries are working to set a more positive tone after eight years of friction under President Donald Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.
Testy relations between Obama and Netanyahu reached a low point over a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, led by Washington.
Obama pushed hard for the agreement, but Netanyahu fiercely opposed it, arguing it will **t prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear ******* and that the lifting of sanctions would allow it to support proxy groups in the region.
Trump also harshly criticised the deal, and on Thursday said Iran was “**t living up to the spirit” of the agreement, adding that the United States would set out its position on it soon.
On Tuesday, Trump ordered a review of the deal to be led by his National Security Council, although the State Department admits Iran has so far stuck to its side of the bargain.
Mattis said on Friday that Iran appeared to be living up to the agreement, but that it “in ** way mitigates against or excuses the other activities of Iran in the region.”
In a further sign of close relations, Israel is to receive three more F-35 stealth fighter jets on Sunday, adding to two which arrived in December. They are among 50 that Israel has agreed to buy from US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
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The United States launched dozens of missiles earlier this month against a Syrian air base in response to a chemical attack that killed 90 people, including 30 children.
It says the Syrian government launched the attack from the Shayrat air base.
The Pentagon has said that the strike had damaged or destroyed about 20 percent of the Syrian military’s operational aircraft.
During a press conference alongside his Israeli counterpart, Mattis was asked whether the Syrian military had moved warplanes to a Russian base in Latakia.
“They have dispersed their aircraft, ** doubt. They have dispersed their aircraft in recent days,” Mattis said.
Mattis also reiterated that the United States believed Syria had retained some chemical *******.
“The bottom line is, I can say authoritatively they have retained some (chemical *******).
It’s a violation of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and it’s going to have to be taken up diplomatically,” Mattis said.
Israel’s military said on Wednesday it believes Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces still possess several tonnes of chemical *******.
A senior Israeli military ******r told Israeli reporters that “a few tonnes of chemical *******” remained in the hands of Assad’s forces, a military official told Reuters.
In a 2013 agreement brokered by Russia and the United States, Syria agreed to destroy its chemical *******.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical *******, a global watchdog, said sarin or a similar banned toxin was used in the April 4 strike in Syria’s Idlib province. Mattis later met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem.
Before the start of their talks, Netanyahu said he was optimistic about relations between the two countries under the new US administration.
The two countries are working to set a more positive tone after eight years of friction under President Donald Trump’s Democratic predecessor, Barack Obama.
Testy relations between Obama and Netanyahu reached a low point over a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers, led by Washington.
Obama pushed hard for the agreement, but Netanyahu fiercely opposed it, arguing it will **t prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear ******* and that the lifting of sanctions would allow it to support proxy groups in the region.
Trump also harshly criticised the deal, and on Thursday said Iran was “**t living up to the spirit” of the agreement, adding that the United States would set out its position on it soon.
On Tuesday, Trump ordered a review of the deal to be led by his National Security Council, although the State Department admits Iran has so far stuck to its side of the bargain.
Mattis said on Friday that Iran appeared to be living up to the agreement, but that it “in ** way mitigates against or excuses the other activities of Iran in the region.”
In a further sign of close relations, Israel is to receive three more F-35 stealth fighter jets on Sunday, adding to two which arrived in December. They are among 50 that Israel has agreed to buy from US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin.
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