By Country / Iran

U.S. Urges Iran, North Korea To Follow Libya

May 16, 2006 -- The United States is calling on Iran and North Korea to follow Libya's example and abandon efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made the call in a statement issued on May 15 to announce that the United States has restored diplomatic relations with Libya after more than 25 years of broken ties.

Rice said the United States is also removing Libya from an official list of countries accused of supporting terrorism.

Rice called the renewal of ties one of the "tangible results" of Libyan leader Muammar Qaddafi's decision in 2003 to renounce terrorism and abandon efforts to make weapons of mass destruction.

Rice urged Iran and North Korea to make "strategic decisions" similar to Libya's to benefit their citizens.

(compiled from agency reports)