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Is the US acting as a sole superpower by snubbing UN? Post your views

New York: The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq had held negotiations with North Korea to obtain a full production line of missiles, which could hit American allies and bases in the region and Syria. It had even offered a transit route for delivery of the goods.

However, North Korea never delivered despite a $ 10-million down payment, a media report said.

Investigators are of the opinion that Iraq was trying to purchase Redong missiles and a complete missile line in what appears to be its most serious violation of UN resolution discovered so far, 'The New York Times' reported.

Quoting computer files, the report said for two years before the American invasion of Iraq, Hussein's sons, generals and front companies were engaged in lengthy negotiations with North Korea.

The American officials were quoted as saying they believe that the negotiations were mostly conducted in neighbouring Syria, "apparently with the knowledge of the Syrian government."

But when asked about it by the 'Times', Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said, "This is the first time that have heard the story."

Hussein "was never able to trust Syria, and he never tried and we never tried to make any relation between him and any other country because he did not trust us in the first place," Assad said.

PTI