Najib, who is also defence minister, said this had been conveyed to Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, John Bolton, during his visit to the country on January 12, the official Bernama news agency reported.

It is the first concise detail released by either side about the visit, and comes after reports that centrifuge parts from Malaysia were found aboard a ship bound for Libya last October.

US officials say Libya, which last month declared it would abandon its nuclear weapons plans, had obtained centrifuge design technology from Pakistan and experts suggested that many of the parts had been manufactured in Malaysia.

Centrifuges can be used for enriching uranium used in nuclear reactors or bombs.

"The US is seeking the Malaysian government's cooperation if there are countries exporting materials that could allow another country to develop nuclear (weapons) programmes," Najib told reporters.

He said Malaysia's assistance could include intercepting the shipment if it passed through the country's waters or airspace, but stressed that the decision would be made by the government and not by Washington.

Malaysia, a mainly-Muslim high-tech manufacturing nation, has no nuclear power programme but has a research centre for medical and industrial purposes.

Bolton has been charged with coordinating the US-led Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) which is designed to stop nations, including Iran and North Korea, from spreading weapons of mass destruction.

Some 16 countries have signed up to the plan, which is expected to see new interdiction exercises at sea, at airports and on overland transit routes in coming months.

The report of Najib's comments did not make it clear whether Malaysia had agreed to sign.

WAR.WIRE