World briefs 12/26/02

Syria denies accusations it received Iraqi weapons

DAMASCUS, Syria -- Syria denied claims by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that Iraq may be transferring chemical and biological weapons to Syria, saying Wednesday that the accusation aims to divert attention from Israel's arsenal.

"This accusation against Syria is ridiculous because Syria signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and called all Arab states to make the Middle East clear of weapons of mass destruction whether nuclear, chemical or biological weapons," a foreign ministry spokesman said in a statement.

Sharon told Israeli television on Tuesday that the Jewish state has information that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was transferring weapons he wants to hide, including chemical and biological weapons, to Syria.

Iran, Russia consider building a second reactor

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran and Russia signed an accord Wednesday to speed up the completion of the Bushehr nuclear power plant and to form a commission to study the possibility of building a second reactor, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Under a separate agreement also reached Wednesday, Russia would provide nuclear fuel for the Bushehr plant in southern Iran for the next 10 years, IRNA reported.

The Bush administration has urged Russia to abandon the $800 million project, saying it could advance Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program.

Moscow has shrugged off U.S. concerns, saying the project would serve civilian purposes and remain under international control. Iran also says its nuclear programs are peaceful.

Fidel Castro recovering from leg infection

HAVANA -- Out of the public eye for more than a week, President Fidel Castro told Cubans in a letter published Wednesday that he is recovering from a serious infection caused by a bug bite to his left leg.

"I am fine, dear compatriots, and I feel more optimistic than ever about the future of the Revolution," the 76-year-old leader wrote in the letter, entitled "Chronicle of Repose" and published on the front page of the Communist Party daily Granma.

The letter was the first public word about Castro's current illness since Saturday, when he excused himself from a session of the National Assembly, Cuba's unicameral parliament, saying doctors had ordered him to rest following an unspecified injury in his leg.

Two killed, 20 injured in India rocket attacks

GAUHATI, India -- Two rockets hit near market crowded with shoppers out marking the Christmas holiday in a northeastern Indian city Wednesday, killing two people and wounding 20 others, police said.

The two rockets were fired within a span of 10 minutes toward the market in Gauhati, capital of northeastern Assam state, police said.

The attacks in Gauhati came after a gang armed with crude bombs attacked a packed church on Christmas Eve in the neighboring state of West Bengal, wounding six people. Police said robbery appeared to be the sole motive in that attack.

Israel, U.S. to develop defense for civilian planes

JERUSALEM -- Israel and the United States will develop a system to protect civilian airplanes from missile attacks, Israeli radio stations reported Wednesday.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon decided on the joint project in a meeting Wednesday with Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, the reports said. They did not describe the U.S. position on the issue.

The Israeli military research company Rafael has developed a system to protect airplanes by installing devices that would emit a hot beam of light to divert heat-seeking missiles. However, the system would reportedly cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per plane.

Israeli Foreign Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that cooperation among countries to develop such a system could bring down the cost.

Military jets have long been equipped with missile deflection systems, but those planes are much smaller and more maneuverable than commercial airliners.

-- From wire reports