WASHINGTON — Libya has withdrawn from its commitment to destroy the
nation's weapons of mass destruction program.
Officials said Libya has dropped plans to destroy its mustard gas
stocks. They said the project, stipulated in a 2003 agreement, would not be
conducted after Libyan complaints that the effort was too expensive.
Libya was believed to possess at least 23 metric tons of mustard gas.
Tripoli was also said to have 1,300 tons of precursor chemicals.
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So far, Libya has authorized the removal of more than 1,000 tons of
nuclear and missile equipment and destroyed 3,500 chemical-weapons capable
munitions. Officials said the remaining chemical agents were scheduled to be
destroyed in 2007, Middle East Newsline reported.
Officials said the Libyan decision has been relayed to the United
States, which pressed Tripoli to destroy its WMD stocks and medium-range
missiles. They said the regime of Col. Moammar Khaddafy has been
demonstrating greater hostility since Washington restored full diplomatic
relations in 2006.
"There is a danger that Libya was consistently withdrawing from its
commitments," an official said.
In December 2006, Libya and the United States signed a contract to
cooperate in the destruction of Libya's CW stockpile. Under the accord, the
United States would pay $45 million, or about 75 percent of the destruction
costs, and Tripoli would provide the rest.
But in May Libya relayed a letter to the State Department that refused
to contribute anything to the CW destruction effort. The letter also raised
liability issues associated with the project.
The chemical agents were said to have been stored in a remote desert
location more than 500 kilometers from Tripoli. Officials said the mustard
gas stocks have not comprised a proliferation hazard.
"The Libyans are looking for a bunch of things from the United States,
including the lifting of a ban on weapons sales," the official said. "I
imagine this is a pressure tactic."
