WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Syria remains dependent on foreign suppliers for its biological weapons program.

The State Department said in an Aug. 30 report that Damascus has been developing biological warfare agents and systems. But the report said Syria has failed to achieve indigenous development and production of BW.

"Syria's biotechnical infrastructure is capable of supporting agent development," the report said. "However, Syria lacks the technical infrastructure for a robust or sophisticated BW program and depends on foreign assistance to upgrade its biotechnology infrastructure."

In 1972, Syria signed the Biological Weapons Convention. But Damascus has never ratified the treaty, linking it to Israel's accession to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.