WASHINGTON (REUTERS) — The United States Monday accused three more states — Libya, Syria and Cuba — of pursuing weapons of mass destruction and warned it would take action to ensure they do not supply terrorists with such arms.
In a speech entitled “Beyond the Axis of Evil,” Undersecretary of State John Bolton said in addition to Iraq, Iran and North Korea — which President Bush several months ago branded an “axis of evil” — there were other “rogue states” out to acquire weapons of mass destruction, particularly biological weapons.
“America is determined to prevent the next wave of terror,” Bolton, who oversees international security policy, told the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, in a reference to the Sept. 11 attacks that killed around 3,000 people.
“States that sponsor terror and pursue WMD (weapons of mass destruction) must stop,” he said. “States that renounce terror and abandon WMD can become part of our effort. But those that do not can expect to become our targets.”
He said there was “no doubt that Libya continues its long-standing pursuit of nuclear weapons,” as well as chemical weapons, biological weapons and ballistic missile capability.
“We are concerned about Syrian advances in its indigenous CW (chemical weapons) infrastructure (and believe Syria is) pursuing development of biological weapons and is able to produce at least small amounts of biological warfare agents.”
Bolton, calling Cuba’s threat to U.S. security “underplayed,” said Washington believes the communist government there “has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort (and has) provided dual-use technology to other rogue states.”
He said he was making these charges public for the first time but refused to name the states Cuba has supplied, citing a need to protect U.S. intelligence sources.
Missing links
Bolton made only scant mention in his speech of Russia and China, two nuclear powers whose alleged willingness to transfer nuclear, missile and other technology to Iran, Iraq and other states has long been a U.S. concern, prompting sanctions.
In response to a question, Bolton called Russia and China “unquestionably the two largest sources of proliferant behavior internationally” and noted the administration is discussing changes in proliferation policy with both countries.
Russia’s nuclear cooperation with Iran, a subject of Bolton’s talks in Moscow last week, will be a “factor” in Bush’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in two weeks, Bolton said.
But he echoed other officials in voicing optimism Bush and Putin would sign a new “strategic framework” slashing nuclear weapons and strengthening nonproliferation measures.
According to Bolton, many states on the U.S. target list signed multilateral arms-control accords, like those banning biological and chemical arms, but routinely violate them.
Libya, which the United States says produced 100 tons of chemical weapons, has expressed interest in joining the Chemical Weapons Convention. But Bolton was skeptical, saying Libya signed the BW Convention in 1982 but has continued its BW program.
Bolton made no specific threats of military action, saying the United States would concentrate on exposing violators and working with other countries to halt proliferation.
The United States would also crack down on suspect shipments, front companies and financial institutions that launder funds for weapons proliferation, he said.
And it will demand more effective use and enforcement of arms control and nonproliferation treaties and export control regimes, Bolton said.
