Libya to end deals with WMD states
From CNN State Department Producer Elise Labott
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Libya has told the United States it will halt military trade with countries believed to be proliferating weapons of mass destruction, the State Department said Thursday.
Reading from a statement issued by Libya, Undersecretary of State for Arms Control John Bolton said Tripoli "has assured the United States and the United Kingdom that its renunciation of all military trade with states of serious WMD proliferation concern includes North Korea, Syria and Iran."
"All three of these countries are indeed states of very great proliferation concern -- especially North Korea, which uses its exports of military technology to finance other dangerous activity," Bolton said.
Bolton said that Libya would no longer engage in arms trade with countries that are not signatories to the MTCR (Missile Technology Control Regime), an agreement among 33 countries in an effort to curb the spread of ballistic and cruise missiles.
Calling Libya's decision "an important step forward" in its campaign to end its weapons of mass destruction programs and rejoin the international community, Bolton said the United States was "particularly pleased" that Libya committed to ending all military trade with countries of concern.
State Department officials said the Libyan government notified U.S. officials in Tripoli of the decision earlier in the day.
Last month, the Bush administration lifted most U.S. sanctions against Libya, opening the way for U.S. investments and commercial activities.
That move was taken in recognition of the steps Libya has taken over the past three months to renounce terrorism and to voluntarily eliminate its weapons of mass destruction and longer range missile programs.
The lifting of the sanctions makes most commercial business, investment and trade with Libya possible but maintains controls on exports to Libya in accordance with the State Department's State Sponsors of Terrorism list. The removal of sanctions means the United States will no longer punish countries which do business with Libya.
The United States in February dropped its 23-year-old ban on travel to Libya by U.S. citizens and permitted Americans to spend money in the country.
The restraints on U.S. exports to Libya under the State Department's terrorism list prohibit the sale of dual-use goods -- items that could be used for military purposes -- ammunition and some goods related to civil aviation.
The State Department is also in the process of establishing a U.S. liaison office in Tripoli and Libya is expected to send diplomats to the United States soon.
