U.S. Cites Threat of Poison Gas, Curbs Export of Chemicals to Syria

The Reagan Administration, which has until now avoided taking any direct action that might offend Syrian President Hafez Assad, on Thursday prohibited exports to the Damascus regime of chemicals that can be used to make poison gases and other chemical weapons. The action extended to Syria export controls that previously applied only to Iran and Iraq, who have been at war for 5 1/2 years.

“The United States is concerned that Syria may have a chemical weapons capability and has assisted Iran in the Iranian war effort,” State Department spokesman Bernard Kalb said. “The United States maintains its neutrality in the Iran-Iraq war. . . . The U.S. export policy is designed to impede the use of chemical weapons by either belligerent.”

However, a State Department official said that the U.S. government has no evidence that U.S. firms have ever sold Syria chemicals that could be used to make weapons.

Moreover, Kalb said Iran has not used chemical weapons in the war, although Iraq has. He added that the U.S. government has no proof that Syria, which has provided Iran with other kinds of weapons, has supplied chemical agents to the Tehran government.

Although the embargo is not expected to have much practical impact, it follows a period in which the United States was extremely circumspect in its dealings with Syria.

The United States had been counting on Assad to use his influence to obtain the release of six American hostages held in Lebanon. But the Syrian leader now appears to be unable or unwilling to be of much help.

A State Department official said that the chemical embargo has been under consideration for at least six months, well before the West Berlin and El Al incidents.