Libya Pledges Military Trade Curbs, but Details Are Fuzzy

Building on its December 2003 decision to give up its nuclear and chemical weapons programs, as well as its long-range missiles, Libya announced May 13 that it would halt its military trade with countries it deems a proliferation threat. U.S. officials said Libya was following through on a private pledge to Washington to discontinue such dealings with Syria, Iran, and North Korea. But a subsequent Libyan statement called into question whether this commitment actually extended to Syria.

According to a May 13 statement carried on Libyan television, Libya has pledged that it "will not deal in any military goods or services with countries Libya considers to be a source of concern for …