Beyond President George W. Bush's so-called "axis of evil" -- Iraq, Iran and North Korea -- there are other "rogue" states which seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction, particularly biological weapons, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton said.

He said Damascus and Tripoli were trying to obtain chemical and biological weapons in violation of international conventions.

He also called on Havana to stop furnishing biological equipment to nations Washington considers sponsors of terrorism.

"The US believes that Cuba has at least a limited offensive biological warfare research and development effort. Cuba has provided dual-use biotechnology to other rogue states," Bolton said in an address to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank here.

"We call on Cuba to cease all biological weapons-applicable cooperation with rogue states and to fully comply with all of its obligations under the Biological Weapons Convention."

But he would not give details of the nature of Cuban exports of biotechnology which could have military uses, citing the need to protect US sources.

Bolton said Cuban President Fidel Castro's regime is, as far as Washington is concerned, a sponsor of international terrorism, and recalled that last year, Castro made official visits to Syria, Iran and Libya.

Turning to Libya, he said Tripoli "continues its goal of reestablishing its offensive chemical weapons ability" and noted that the Libyans had produced at least 100 tonnes of different types of chemical arms before their Rabta plant closed and reopened in 1995 under the guise of a pharmaceutical facility.

"Following the suspension of UN sanctions in April 1999, Libya has reestablished contacts with illicit foreign sources of expertise, parts and precursors chemicals in the Middle East, Asia and Western Europe," Bolton said.

"The United States believes that Libya has continued its biological warfare program. Although its program is in the research and development stage, Libya may be capable of producing small quantities of biological agent."

He also said Tripoli was continuing efforts to acquire an atomic bomb and equipment to develop medium-range missiles.

Syria "has a stockpile of the nerve agent sarin and is engaged in research and development of the more toxic and persistent nerve agent VX and was also "pursuing the development of biological weapons and is able to produce at least small amounts of biological warfare agents," Bolton said.

All rights reserved. � 2002 Agence France-Presse. Sections of the information displayed on this page (dispatches, photographs, logos) are protected by intellectual property rights owned by Agence France-Presse. As a consequence, you may not copy, reproduce, modify, transmit, publish, display or in any way commercially exploit any of the content of this section without the prior written consent of Agence France-Presse.

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