Syria brushed aside today as "illogical" Israeli comments about missile tests and said all countries were entitled to have defence capabilities.
Israeli security officials have accused Syria of test-firing three Scud missiles last week, including one that broke up over Turkey. Damascus has not confirmed or denied the tests, and a Syrian official criticised comments by Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom on Friday that the testing was "very dangerous".
"These remarks are illogical. Every country in the world has the right to train (its forces) and posses defence means in all circumstances," the official told reporters without giving further details. Shalom, speaking in New York after a UN meeting, called on the world community to stop any country in the Middle East from developing Scud missiles, adding his country could not accept what he described an arms race.
"The whole international community should focus on trying to prevent the Syrians, the Iranians - and maybe some other countries that will follow them a short time after - from trying to develop those missiles," Shalom said. "They will escalate the situation in the Middle East." Syria and Israel are officially at a state of war.
A Turkish diplomat in Washington has confirmed the test-firing and said Damascus had expressed regret for the "technical mishap" that did not cause any casualties. According to Israeli officials, the missiles were a Scud B, with a range of about 200 km (120 miles), and two Scud Ds, with a range of about 700 km (420 miles).
Israel is believed to have 200 nuclear warheads but neither confirms nor denies that.