A proposed law that would make it more difficult for West German companies to export substances that could be used to produce poison gas is being held hostage to internal politics in the Bundestag, West Germany’s parliament.
The bill, which had been scheduled to become law Jan. 1, would penalize Germans who help to supply or produce poison gas abroad. But the ruling coalition of Christian Democrats and Free Democrats has failed to put the bill to a vote.
Last week, the opposition Social Democrats introduced a bill of their own, but it was voted down by the governing majority.
Spokespersons for the Social Democrats contend that the government has been dragging its feet on the legislation, which was proposed last year following worldwide protests over assistance provided by West German firms to the Libyan factory at Rabta, some 40 miles south of Tripoli.
The Social Democrats say that prompt action to prevent the export of substances used in the production of poison gas has become urgent, in view of new information that Libya is again producing chemical weapons.
Reports last week from Washington indicate that Libya has increased production of chemical arms, with help from West German companies and other firms in Western Europe. U.S. intelligence said Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi had given the orders to do so.
West German intelligence has independently established that the Rabta factory has already produced considerable amounts of poison gas.
But West Germany is still opposed to military action to force Libya to close the factory. Instead, Bonn would favor inspection of the Rabta by United Nations observers.
LIBYAN CAPABILITY QUESTIONED
Libya has repeatedly denied that it is manu-facturing chemical weapons, claiming that the Rabta plant produces pharmaceuticals. Libya has said that it is prepared to participate in any international accords to prevent the proliferation of chemical warfare.
Israel is concerned that Libya could use the chemical weapons to launch a deadly attack on the Jewish state. It is said to have recently acquired the capability to conduct such a long-range strike.
But Ron Ben-Yishai, a well-informed correspondent for the Israeli daily Yediot Aharonot, wrote in an article last week that Gadhafi “lacks the capability, whether by plane or by missile, to release substantial quantities of poisonous gases in Israeli population centers.
“He can, however, supply Syria with the products of the Rabta plant, in order that it make use of them,” Ben-Yishai added.
The Israeli journalist speculated that Gadhafi’s real target is Chad, which drove Libyan forces out of the country in March 1987.
Gadhafi “has apparently not forgotten his stinging defeat in Chad, and is preparing to take revenge,” Ben-Yishai wrote. “This is apparently the main objective of the arms plant in Rabta.”
(JTA correspondent Hugh Orgel in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.)
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