Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=7/25/01

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S / IRAN / LIBYA (L ONLY)

NUMBER=2-278675

BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The U-S House of Representatives has voted overwhelmingly (409-6) to extend for another five years a law that calls for penalties against foreign companies that invest in Iran and Libya. V-O-A Correspondent Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

TEXT: The Iran-Libya sanctions act - which is set to expire next month -- is aimed at discouraging foreign firms from investing in oil and gas production in those two countries. The law gives the president the authority to bar or reduce imports of goods from countries that invest more than 20-million dollars a year in the energy sectors of Iran or Libya.

European allies are highly critical of the law, although no sanctions have been imposed since the measure went into effect in 1996. But lawmakers argue the measure is still necessary to press the Iranian and Libyan governments to change their behavior.

Congressman Tom Lantos is the ranking Democrat on the International Relations Committee.

/// LANTOS ACTUALITY ///

Iran continues to support terrorism. Iran continues to develop weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons and it is fanatically opposed to the peace process in the Middle East, and to the very existence of the only democratic nation in the Middle East, our ally, the state of Israel.

/// END ACT ///

Congressman Benjamin Gilman, a top Republican on the International Relations Committee, took aim at Libya. He said Libya has refused to accept accountability for the 1988 bombing of a U-S passenger jetliner over Lockerbie, Scotland.

/// GILMAN ACTUALITY ///

The Libyan government has failed to take responsibility for its actions in this matter as required by the U-N Security Council and to pay compensation to the victims' families.

/// END ACT ///

The vote by the Republican-led House came a day after the Democrat-led Senate passed a similar measure. A joint conference committee must resolve the differences in the two competing bills before sending a final version to President Bush for his signature.

The Bush administration had sought to limit extension of the sanctions law to two years, arguing that sanctions should be reviewed frequently to assess their effectiveness. (Signed)

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