Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=12/22/03

TYPE=U-S OPINION ROUNDUP

NAME=GADHAFI'S WEAPONS

NUMBER=6-130192

BYLINE=ANDREW GUTHRIE

DATELINE=Washington

EDITOR=Assignments

TELEPHONE=619-3335

CONTENT:

INTRO: Libya's military dictator, Moammar Gadhafi is promising to give up his weapons of mass destruction in an effort to end almost two decades of international isolation. The news comes after months of secret negotiations between the United States, Britain and Libya. The negotiations reportedly began as an offshoot to talks on Lockerbie Pan Am crash reparations. The U-S press has been quick to respond, as we learn now from V-O-A's _____________ in today's U-S Opinion Roundup.

TEXT: In a trio of news conferences, Libyan officials, President Bush, and Prime Minister Tony Blair explained that Colonel Gadhafi has agreed to immediate and unconditional international inspection of his arsenal and its destruction. The concession is seen as an attempt by Libya to end punishing economic sanctions and to encourage development of Libya's oil reserves by U-S and British petroleum companies.

Early reaction in American papers is positive. The New York Times calls the news "a welcome twist . in Colonel Gadhafi's long, strange odyssey toward international respectability.

VOICE: Washington suspects that Libya has biological and chemical weapons programs and may have been aspiring to develop nuclear weapons. If Libya now follows through on its promise to dismantle its programs and permit full . inspections, the [U-S] should be prepared to resume normal economic and political relations with Tripoli.

TEXT: Boston's Christian Science Monitor is much more cautious, suggesting:

VOICE: President Bush should not be satisfied only with dismantling Libya's nuclear, chemical and germ weapons programs, as welcome as that offer . is. To really ensure that the mercurial dictator (and his heirs-apparent sons) don't once again become a global menace, the United States must keep its economic sanctions -- including no oil investments -- until the Libyans can vote for their leaders in a fair election.

TEXT: The Washington Times feels the recent capture of Saddam Hussein in Iraq was a factor that influenced Colonel Gadhafi.

VOICE: The successful allied military campaign which ended 35 years of Ba'athist tyranny in Iraq is a warning for governments which develop nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction . Although the [U-S] like Britain, welcomes the Libyan declaration . Washington does not plan to lift U-S sanctions until it can verify that Libya has ended its W-M-D efforts. Also, the [U-S] will . insist that Libya . end all support for terror.

TEXT: Across town, The Washington Post calls the news ". a major success in the effort . to prevent the spread of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons." and says the international effects may be even more beneficial. The Post writes:

VOICE: Several . countries, especially North Korea and Iran, will no doubt be watching what Mr. Gadhafi gains through cooperation with the United States. President Bush promised . that "leaders who abandon the pursuit of chemical, biological and nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them will find an open path to better relations with the United States and other free nations."

If Libya keeps its promises, the [U-S] should lift

economic sanctions promptly, even if some families of Pan Am victims object.

TEXT: On that note from The Washington Post, we conclude this sampling of U-S press reaction to the news that Libya will allow international inspections of its weapons of mass destruction and begin destroying them.

NEB/ANG/KL