VARIOUS: US demands Syria and Iran come clean over their nuclear programmes

Record ID: 279036

  • Title: VARIOUS: US demands Syria and Iran come clean over their nuclear programmes
  • Date: 3rd June 2008
  • Summary: (EU) VIENNA, AUSTRIA (JUNE 2, 2008) (REUTERS) WIDE OF INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY MEETING US AMBASSADOR TO IAEA GREGORY SCHULTE AT MEETING DIRECTOR GENERAL OF IAEA, MOHAMED ELBARADEI SEATED AT MEETING US AMBASSADOR TO IAEA GREGORY SCHULTE AT MEETING SCHULTE SPEAKING TO REUTERS OUTSIDE MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (English) US AMBASSADOR TO THE IAEA, GREGORY SCHULT
  • Embargoed: 18th June 2008 13:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVAAAVTKF8AIEZ2NH30FYZPY4IQZ
  • Story Text: At a nuclear meeting in Vienna, it was announced that UN inspectors will visit Syria to investigate American intelligence reports; The US ambassador says time is running out for Iran to co-operate with the UN about its nuclear programme.
    The United States' ambassador to the United Nations' nuclear watchdog on Monday (June 2) welcomed news that atomic investigators will visit Syria to pursue US intelligence alleging that Damascus secretly built an atomic reactor.
    The alleged reactor site was destroyed in an Israeli air raid last September and Washington handed over intelligence to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in April for verification purposes. Syria has denied any covert nuclear arms project.
    IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, in a speech at the opening of the agency's board meeting in Vienna chided the United States for waiting until last month to share its intelligence.
    US Ambassador Gregory Schulte defended Washington's delayed actions.

    "It had … to do with preventing a conflict in the region. We were worried about the implications," he said.

    "The real question is why did Syria withhold this information, why didn't Syria provide this information as was obligated to the IAEA? That's the matter of real concern," Schulte added.
    The UN team will visit Syria from 22-24 June. ElBaradei did not say in his closed door presentation to the board whether Syria would allow inspectors to visit the al-Kibar site bombed by Israel.
    Damascus, whose only declared nuclear facility is an old research reactor under IAEA inspection, has said Israel's target was only a disused military building that had no nuclear link.
    In Monday's Vienna meeting Iran also came under fire, accused of holding back information needed to clarify intelligence reports that it researched nuclear bombs in secret. ElBaradei demanded "full disclosure" by Tehran. He said the intelligence remained a "matter of serious concern". Schulte told Reuters time is running out for Iran to co-operate.
    Tehran has branded the concerted IAEA inquiry as a creature of pressure by a few Western powers led by Washington, and warned on Sunday (June 1) it might have to limit cooperation with the U.N. watchdog as a result.
    A Western proposal to offer incentives to Iran in return for stopping enriching uranium has so far not been taken up by Tehran.
    Schulte said if Iran does not toe-the-line with UN demands, it faces yet more sanctions.

    "Are they ready to stay isolated, are they ready to subject themselves to further sanction and isolation from the world economic system and the world financial system? Or are they ready to take the offer that is on the table?" Schulte said.
    Iran has denied a covert agenda to build atom bombs in violation of nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty commitments. It says its uranium enrichment is to generate electricity.
    The IAEA said Iran could not get a clean bill of health without permitting snap inspections beyond its declared nuclear facilities.
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