Libya will stop production of weapons of mass destruction, as a strategic move to pressure Israel to eliminate theirs, Libyan Foreign Minister Muhammad ‘Abd A-Rahman Shalqam said.
Shalqam spoke at a news conference on Saturday, the same day that International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspector Muhammad Al-Barade’i arrived in Tripoli to sign an agreement allowing nuclear inspections in the North African country. Libya announced that it would allow international inspections and cease its nuclear programs on December 19.
Al-Barade’i said that Libya does not appear to have any developed weapons of mass destruction, according to news reports, and Shalqam says the WMD program is only at a preliminary stage.
Israel is believed to be the only country in the Middle East to possess nuclear weapons, but Jerusalem has remained mum on the issue.
The Media Line analysts say the major reason for the Libyan decision was international pressure. The bid to move the focus onto Israel is seen as an attempt to restore lost pride with other Arab countries.