31 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- A new U.S. State Department report says evidence indicates that Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Syria continue to maintain biological-weapons programs.
The report says China maintains "some elements" of an offensive biological weapons program. The study says U.S. government experts were divided on whether Cuba is trying to develop a weapons capability.
All six countries had been linked previously in varying degrees to biological-weapons programs.
The congressionally mandated study assesses compliance by foreign countries with arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament agreements. It covers developments over a two-year period ending in December 2004.
The study does not examine nuclear programs in Pakistan, India, and Israel because none is a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and have not undertaken obligations to comply with the treaty's terms. It also does not examine U.S. military programs.
(AP)
All six countries had been linked previously in varying degrees to biological-weapons programs.
The congressionally mandated study assesses compliance by foreign countries with arms control, nonproliferation, and disarmament agreements. It covers developments over a two-year period ending in December 2004.
The study does not examine nuclear programs in Pakistan, India, and Israel because none is a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and have not undertaken obligations to comply with the treaty's terms. It also does not examine U.S. military programs.
(AP)
