Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=MARCH 6, 2004

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=BUSH/LIBYA (L-O)

NUMBER=2-313881

BYLINE=SCOTT STEARNS

DATELINE=CRAWFORD, TEXAS

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: The White House says U-S officials are now in possession of all known remaining equipment associated with Libya's nuclear weapons program. V-O-A's Scott Stearns reports, Libya agreed to end its nuclear, chemical and biological weapons programs in December, after months of secret talks with U-S and British officials.

TEXT: U-S National Security Council Spokesman Sean McCormack says 500 tons of Libyan equipment is now heading for the United States. For security reasons, he would not say where or when the U-S-chartered freighter will dock.

Mr. McCormack says the shipment includes all the equipment from Libya's former uranium conversion facilities, centrifuges and centrifuge parts, and all of the country's long-range missiles and launchers, including five Scud C's.

He says Libya's stocks of mustard gas have been consolidated at a single, secure facility inside the country, and U-S officials are working with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to destroy those stocks.

That organization says Libya has disclosed that it produced and stored 23 tons of the deadly gas.

Since Libya's decision to denounce weapons of mass destruction, U-S officials have been quick to try and secure those weapons and equipment used to produce them.

Two American aircraft flew from Libya to the United States in January carrying nuclear weapons plans, centrifuge designs and chemicals used to enrich uranium.

On Sunday, Mr. McCormack says, U-S officials will begin negotiations with Libyan leaders on retraining scientists who worked on developing weapons of mass destruction.

Because Libya has made concrete steps to repudiate those weapons, President Bush last month lifted a ban on U-S travel to the country, and said U-S companies with assets there before the sanctions are now free to negotiate their return.

The president invited Libya to establish a so-called interests section in Washington to coordinate weapons destruction and lay the foundation for more extensive diplomatic relations in the future.

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The changes began after Libya agreed to take responsibility for the 1988 bombing of a commercial airliner over Lockerbie, Scotland, that killed 270 people.

The Bush administration says it will approach improving relations with Libya on a careful, step-by-step basis, and will continuously evaluate remaining sanctions, as that cooperation continues.

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