[ 2011-11-15 ]

The late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi

Gaddafi regime produced chemical weapons, David Cameron confirms
Gaddafi regime produced chemical weapons, David
Cameron confirms

David Cameron said British chemical warfare
specialists would join an international team to
dispose of the weapons.

“In the last few days we have learnt that the
new Libyan authorities have found chemical weapons
that were kept hidden from the world,” he said
during a speech at the Lord Mayor’s banquet in
London.

It is understood that the weapons were developed
without the knowledge of inspectors who were in
Libya before the international military
intervention in March. The news gave greater
weight to the decision to intervene in Libya,
which declared an end to its weapons of mass
destruction programme after the Americans invaded
Iraq in 2003.

Mr Cameron said it was “worth noting” that
although Gaddafi agreed to dismantle all his WMD,
it was clear he had proceeded with another
programme.

The Prime Minister also said that Britain and its
allies had helped restore the “building
blocks” of democracy in Libya.

“I would argue that our action helped keep the
Arab Spring alive,” he said, pouring scorn on
those who predicted failure or suggested Britain
did not have the military muscle for the
campaign.

“Some told us we shouldn’t, because they said
it would only end in failure,” he said. “Some
said we couldn’t, because they said Britain
didn’t have the military might any more.

“Well, to those who predicted failure, look at
what we have achieved. We saved civilian lives as
Gaddafi’s tanks bore down on Benghazi. We helped
the Libyan people to liberate themselves.”

A small military liaison team will deploy to Libya
later this month to work alongside American
experts for six months to establish a counter
weapons proliferation programme for the National
Transitional Council.

They will secure and disable the hundreds of small
surface-to-air missiles procured by Gaddafi that
could present a substantial threat to airlines if
they fell into the hands of terrorists.

The Government will also release £1 million
to fund a team to decommission and dispose of
missiles and help destroy chemical agent
stockpiles.

The Hague-based Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons destroyed almost half of
Gaddafi’s stock of 23 tons of sulphur mustard
gas and 1,300 tons of nerve agent precursor before
inspectors left Libya in March.

Source - The Telegraph

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