U.S. sees Libyan threat
to southern Europe

WASHINGTON Ñ The United States is concerned over the prospect that Libya could deploy its new intermediate-range missiles from North Korea.

U.S. officials said the Libyan missiles threaten the southern European flank of NATO. They said Washington has discussed the issue with Italy and Spain.

The officials said that Libya is amassing an arsenal of North Korean No-Dong missiles. They said Pyongyang has completed shipments of the intermediate-range missiles and they have been concealed in sites throughout Libya.

Undersecretary of State John Bolton said Libyan ruler Moammar Khaddafy has been building his missile and nonconventional weapons arsenal over the last two years. Bolton said the effort began soon after the United Nations removed sanctions from Tripoli for its role in the downing of a U.S. airliner in 1988.

"Khaddafy has been aggressively trying to acquire technologies that could provide him with ballistic missile and WMD [weapons of mass destruction] capabilities," Bolton said in an interview with the State Department's information agency Washington File. "And we regard it as a very serious threat and something that we will be keeping an extremely close eye on."

Bolton did not elaborate. But other U.S. officials said North Korea has signed an accord with Libya for delivery of 50 No-Dong missiles. They said another missile deal is being discussed with Pyongyang.

Officials said Washington is working with NATO allies to help develop a system to stop Libyan missiles. The Pentagon has awarded a $45 million contract to New Mexico State University for a U.S. Army project for research and development in vulnerability and survivability assessments relating to missile defense systems. The project will be conducted at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico.