Libya: US may help destroy weapons

The United States is assessing whether to help Libya destroy its stockpile of chemical weapons. The operation could cost over $100 million (£57.5m).

Pentagon experts are writing a proposal outlining the options for helping Tripoli comply with an international treaty on banned weapons.

Libya says it possesses 23 tonnes of mustard gas and has asked for US help to destroy it.

In 2003, Tripoli agreed to destroy all of its weapons of mass destruction.

The North African nation has until April 2007 to destroy its banned weapons stockpile in order to comply with the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), an international treaty governing the possession of banned weapons.

Source: BBC News