WASHINGTON [MENL] -- The United States has decided to keep Libya and Sudan on the State Department's list of terrorist sponsors.

Officials said both Arab League members have achieved progress in meeting U.S. requirements. But they said that neither Khartoum nor Tripoli has severed its ties to groups deemed terrorists.

"We're not there yet," Assistant Secretary of State David Welch told a briefing on March 23. "The Libya government is aware of what concerns that we have and we have a benchmark program for how to address them."

In April, the State Department was scheduled to release its annual report on global terrorism. So far, six countries, including Cuba, Iran, North Korea and Syria, have been on the list and ineligible to receive U.S. weaponry.