The United States said Tuesday that Syria retains control over its chemical weapons stockpile following reports of US and Israeli fears that militants could seize them during anti-government protests.

"We have long called on the Syrian government to give up its chemical weapons arsenal and to join the Chemical Weapons Convention, which it has not yet done," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"That said, we do believe that Syria's chemical stockpile remains under government control and that there is no change in the lockdown status of those weapons," Nuland added.

"Syria has a stockpile of nerve agent and some mustard gas, and we will continue to work closely with like-minded countries to ensure that there is no proliferation of that material as well," she said.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the United States and Israel were monitoring Syria's suspected arsenal of weapons of mass destruction, fearing that terror groups could take advantage of the protests against President Bashar al-Assad to obtain chemical agents and long-range missiles.

Citing unnamed officials from both countries, the newspaper said US intelligence services believe Syria's nonconventional weapons programs include significant stockpiles of mustard gas, VX and Sarin gas, along with the missile and artillery systems to deliver them.

"We are very concerned about the status of Syria's WMD, including chemical weapons," the paper quoted Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, as saying.

"Together with the US administration, we are watching this situation very carefully."

Current and former US officials said Syria has at least five sites where it produces chemical-weapons agents, including mustard gas, Sarin and VX, The Journal noted.

But the officials said these facilities are difficult to track as they are spread across Syria, centered in such cities as Damascus, Hama, Latakia and Aleppo, the report said.

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