WASHINGTON Ñ The United States has warned
Libya and Syria to end their weapons of mass destruction programs or face U.S. "active measures."
U.S. officials said the Bush administration has determined that Libya
and Syria have not responded to diplomatic pressure to end their missile and
WMD program.
The officials said the White House is examining proposals for
what the officials termed "active measures" such as llisting Syria as a member of the "axis of evil." The axis is
composed of Iran, Iraq and North Korea.
Undersecretary of State John Bolton has announced the end of a passive U.S. policy towards proliferation, Middle East Newsline reported.
"States that renounce terror and abandon WMD can become part of our
effort," Bolton said. "But those that do not
can expect to become our targets. While diplomatic efforts and multilateral
regimes will remain important to our efforts, we also intend to complement
this approach with other measures, as we work both in concert with
likeminded nations, and on our own, to prevent terrorists and terrorist
regimes from acquiring or using WMD."
Bolton, the State Department's top arms control and nonproliferation
official, told the Washington-based Heritage Foundation on Monday, that the
United States has changed its largely passive policy toward proliferation
and now links the spread of weapons with terrorism. He said Washington and
its allies would sanction WMD and missile proliferators and target agents
and weapons brokers.
The administration's nonproliferation policy, Bolton said, centers on
Iraq, North Korea and Iran, Bolton said. The next group of countries that
elicit U.S. concern is composed of Libya, Syria and Cuba.
Libya has accelerated its WMD and missile programs since the suspension
of United Nations sanctions in 1999, Bolton said. He said Libya has enhanced
its nuclear infrastructure in its drive toward nuclear weapons.
"Although Libya would need significant foreign assistance to acquire a
nuclear weapon, Tripoli's
nuclear infrastructure enhancement remains of concern," Bolton said. "Libya
has produced at least
100 tons of different kinds of chemical weapons, using its Rabta facility.
Following the suspension
of UN sanctions in April 1999, Libya has reestablished contacts with illicit
foreign sources of expertise, parts, and precursor chemicals in the Middle
East, Asia, and Western Europe."
Bolton said Libya has continued its biological warfare program despite
being a signator to the Biological Weapons Convention. He said Libya's
biological weapons program has been hindered by the country's poor
technological base, but could be capable of producing small quantities of
biological agent.
The State Department official said Libya is obtaining foreign assistance
to complete a medium-range ballistic missile. Among Libya's suppliers are
China, India, North Korea and Serbia.
Bolton said Syria has stockpiled the nerve agent sarin, is developing
the more toxic VX and is capable of developing biological weapons. He said
Damascus has a range of aerial bombs and Scud warheads for the delivery of
noconventional weapons.
"Although Damascus currently is dependent on foreign sources for key
elements of its chemical warfare program, including precursor chemicals and
key production equipment, we are concerned
about Syrian advances in its indigenous CW infrastructure which would
significantly increase the independence of its CW program," Bolton said.
Bolton said Syria has several hundred short-range missiles and is
pursuing both solid- and
liquid-propellant missile programs. He said the suppliers of Damascus's
missile programs are North Korea and Russia.
"All of Syria's missiles are mobile and can reach much of Israel,
Jordan, and Turkey from launch sites well within the country," Bolton said.
