CIA to Brief Congress on Syria-North Korea Nuke Pact

Details of a suspected secret pact between North Korea and Syria to supply Damascus with nuclear weapons technology will be revealed in closed-door CIA briefings of lawmakers, Reuters reports. The pact is apparently linked to an Israeli air raid on a suspected nuclear site in Syria last year. The briefing comes as Washington moves closer to an agreement by North Korea to finally declare details of its nuclear program.

Once the agreement is reached, Washington hopes to lift sanctions against North Korea, and the briefings are a way to win support from Congress for the strategy. It seems like odd timing for the briefing, but officials are underlining the fact that the facility is no longer a threat, reports ABC News. "They are about to lift sanctions," said a congressional aide. "They want to convince members we have enough clarity to proceed." (More North Korea stories.)