Fed: Downer says Libya decision will make world more secure

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2003
Fed: Downer says Libya decision will make world more secure

CANBERRA, Dec 20 AAP - Libya's decision to scrap its weapons of mass destruction (WMD)
programs would make the world a more secure place, Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander
Downer said today.

The British and United States governments today announced Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi
had agreed to dismantle his country's WMD.

Mr Downer said the decision vindicated the hardline stance taken by Australia and other
countries against the proliferation of WMD.

"The decision by Colonel Gaddafi's regime to abandon nuclear, chemical and biological
weapons programs and to sign international instruments in support of the abandonment of
these program, is good news for a more secure world," Mr Downer told ABC radio.

"It illustrates the point that if the world is strong and robust in confronting the
proliferation of these weapons it can be successful."

AAP pj/cdh/de

KEYWORD: UK LIBYA AUST

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