ARAB-EUROPEAN - May 17 - EU Demands Tougher WMD Clause In Syria Trade Deal.

A unique trade accord between the EU and Syria fails to gain support from 3 member states that said they will continue to block it until references to WMD are toughened up. The accord, clinched last December after years of negotiations, is unprecedented because it contains a "conditionality" clause on WMD. But UK, the Netherlands and Germany made it clear they would not back the deal in its current form. The clause states that Syria should comply with its commitments to the NPT, as well as curbing exports of chemical, biological and nuclear material and controlling end-user certificates for goods that could be used for producing WMD. If it does not, member states could threaten to suspend the accord - although the EU has rarely invoked conditionality clauses on human rights because member states often fail to agree unanimously. EU FMs failed to end their long-running dispute over the wording of the WMD clause, with UK, the Netherlands and Germany wanting it to be more specific on timetables and implementation. Diplomats said the accord, once agreed, could give the EU some leverage over Syria to combat terrorism and encourage some economic and political reforms.