The World - News from Oct. 9, 1989

The United States will continue producing chemical weapons even after a new global treaty authorizing their destruction begins to take effect, U.S. officials said. President Bush did not mention this intent when he told the United Nations last month that he favors immediate steps to “halt and reverse” the threat of chemical arms, the Washington Post reported. However, officials who asked not to be named said Bush has decided to continue producing chemical weapons after a secret policy review. They said the Defense Department contends that U.S. plans for producing an arsenal of “binary” chemical weapons, which employ two components that become lethal when combined, will likely be at an early stage when a new treaty is finished. It said continued production is needed in case the treaty’s provisions cannot be implemented.