Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XXIV, North Africa

96. Telegram From the Embassy in Mauritania to the Department of State¹

5532.

Nouakchott, December 21, 1988, 1450Z

SUBJECT

• Libyan Chemical Weapons Program.

Ref:

• State 399207.²

1. On December 19, DCM, accompanied by PolOff, raised the issue of Libyan chemical weapons production with Ambassador Abderrahmin Ould Hadrami, Director of African Affairs at the MFA, and provided him a copy of the talking points contained in reftel.

2. In response to our démarche, Hadrami replied that Libya had formally denied that its Rabta chemcial plant produced chemical weapons and offered to let foreign observers visit the plant. He asked whether the USG is aware of the Libyan denial. DCM replied that the USG has evidence that, despite Qadhafi’s disclaimers, the plant is indeed intended for CW production. It would be fairly easy, he continued, to hide the evidence of weapons production at the time of a site visit. Hadrami listened to this explanation but said nothing. He did, however, agree that the possibility that such a CW plant exists in Libya is quite important for Libya’s neighbors in the Sahel and Maghreb, and the GIRM welcomes whatever information the USG can provide.

3. DCM also left a copy of the talking points on the Rabta chemical plant when making a démarche on December 19 on the upcoming CW conference in Paris with Ambassador Melainine Ould Moctar Neche, MFA Director for International Organizations.

4. Comment: Our impression is that Hadrami is not convinced that the Libyan plant is truly meant to produce CW weapons but is open to persuasion. We do not know at this stage whether this skepticism is shared by his superiors in the MFA. Embassy will attempt to sound out more senior MFA officials on this topic in the weeks to come. In the meantime, we would welcome whatever additional evidence of Libyan use of Rabta for CW production the Department can provide.³ End comment.

Twaddell

1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D881112–0655. Secret; Priority. Sent for information to Algiers, Bamako, Cairo, Dakar, Khartoum, Ndjamena, Niamey, Rabat, and Tunis.
2. In telegram 399207 to multiple recipients, December 10, the Department provided a French translation of the talking points to all African diplomatic posts, November 28, concerning Libya’s chemical weapons program. (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D881080–0836)
3. In telegram 5603 from Nouakchott, December 27, the Embassy reported: “Foreign Minister Col. Mohamed Sidina Ould Sidya convoked the Chargé on December 27 to advise the USG that the GIRM privately asked Libya about its new chemical production plant and received the same denial about weapons production and offer soon to invite international observers that Libya is putting out publicly. The Minister said he was relieved to learn that USG policy is to pursue diplomatic means to dissuade Libya from CW production because military action would not be fitting for a super power and it just isn’t worth it. Ould Sidya said he agreed with the USG that Libya’s neighbors should be concerned about the possible introduction of CW into the region and seek a consensus against it.” (Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, Electronic Telegrams, D881124–0776)