Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=3-16-03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

NUMBER=2-300768

TITLE=US / MIDEAST DIPLOMATS (S-O)

BYLINE=DAVID GOLLUST

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The United States has ordered the departure of non-essential diplomatic personnel and all diplomatic family members from Syria, Kuwait and Israel. Private U-S citizens in those countries are being urged by the State Department to depart immediately. V-O-A's David Gollust has details.

TEXT: In a sign that hostilities in Iraq could be imminent, the United States is evacuating what are termed "non-emergency" embassy employees and the dependents of all American diplomats from Israel, Syria and Kuwait.

Word of the decision, affecting hundreds of U-S officials and family members, came in similarly worded travel warnings for the countries issued late Sunday by the State Department, which "strongly urged" U-S private citizens currently there to leave immediately.

The statements attributed the decision to threat of military action in Iraq, and said that in the event of a war, there is a risk that Iraq or terrorist organizations may use chemical or biological weapons.

The State Department said the American embassies in Damascus, Kuwait City and Tel Aviv, and the U-S consulate in Jerusalem, which tends to U-S diplomatic affairs in the Palestinian areas, will remain open though some services could be curtailed. (Signed)

NEB/DAG/MAR