U.S. says missile-related shipment to Syria stopped

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Four countries last year preventedSyria from receiving equipment that could be used to testballistic missile components, a senior U.S. official said onWednesday.

U.S. national security adviser Stephen Hadley described thepreviously undisclosed incident in a speech to members of theProliferation Security Initiative, a network of countries thatseeks to stop illicit weapons of mass destruction shipments.

The Bush administration has portrayed the PSI effort, whichwas launched five years ago and has more than 90 nations asmembers, as a significant success in its drive to preventbiological, chemical or nuclear terrorism.

Analysts say it is hard to judge its effectiveness becausemembers are reluctant to disclose successes to avoid betrayingsources that provide intelligence needed to stop shipments.

"One example of its success occurred in February 2007, whenfour nations represented in this room worked together tointerdict equipment bound for Syria -- equipment that couldhave been used to test ballistic missile components," Hadleysaid at a conference to mark PSI's fifth anniversary.

"Interdictions like this one have been successful all overthe world -- and have stopped many shipments of sensitivematerials destined for Iran, North Korea, and Syria," he said,providing no further details.

The United States in April released photographs of what itsaid was a Syrian nuclear reactor built with North Korean help.Israel destroyed the reactor in a September 6 air strike thatwas initially shrouded in secrecy out of what U.S. officialssaid was fear that its disclosure could prompt Syrianretaliation.

Syria has denied the facility was a nuclear reactor.

U.S. Acting Undersecretary of State John Rood on Tuesdaysaid there had been dozens of PSI interdictions, includingpreventing the export of dual-use missile-related technologiesas well as nuclear-related items to Iran. He gave no details.

Dual-use technologies are those with both civilian andmilitary applications.

MEASURING SUCCESS

Hadley argued that the countries in PSI -- some of whom donot want their involvement publicized -- need to explain theirefforts and to prevent their citizens from becoming complacentabout the threat of weapons of mass destruction.

"This is no time to fall under the spell of an apparentcalm or the illusion of false security," he said.

In an effort to deter countries, militant groups orindividuals from promoting chemical, biological or nuclearattacks, Hadley repeated the long-standing U.S. position thatit reserved the right to use "overwhelming force" in response.

Echoing a speech he made in February, he also said theUnited States would hold "fully accountable" those who support"terrorist groups" to acquire WMD "by facilitating, financing,or providing expertise or safe haven for such efforts."

Robert Einhorn, a former assistant secretary of state fornonproliferation who is now at the Center for Strategic andInternational Studies think tank, praised PSI but stressed thatcountries had made such efforts for years.

"PSI was a good idea and it provides value added to whatwas done before," he said, saying holding exercises had createdhabits of cooperation and smoothed the way for joint action.

"How do we measure success here, especially where thepartners are understandably reluctant to share informationabout successes or failures?" he said. "It's very hard."