SYRIA / FILE: Syrian Foreign Minister dismisses leaks disclosure of uranium traces at Syrian complex

Record ID: 279436

  • Title: SYRIA / FILE: Syrian Foreign Minister dismisses leaks disclosure of uranium traces at Syrian complex
  • Date: 13th November 2008
  • Summary: (W3) DAMASCUS, SYRIA (NOVEMBER 12, 2008) (REUTERS) IRAQI FOREIGN MINISTER HOSHIYAR ZEBARI AND HIS SYRIAN COUNTERPART WALID AL-MOUALEM ARRIVING CAMERAMAN JOURNALISTS SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOUALEM DURING THE NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTER WALID AL-MOUALEM, SAYING: "The objective of this campaign of anonymous leaks is to find somethi
  • Embargoed: 28th November 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Entertainment,Energy
  • Reuters ID: LVA44IQQ3K8MPCKCX5I4A6TIRAEJ
  • Story Text: Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem dismissed as politically motivated on Wednesday (November 12) diplomatic disclosures that traces of uranium were found at a suspected nuclear complex in Syria.
    The uranium could have been of an enriched variety used by Israel when its planes bombed the site in September 2007, he said.
    Diplomats in Vienna told Reuters on Monday (November 10) that particles of processed uranium turned up in test samples taken by International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors from the site in eastern Syria, but cautioned the findings warranted further investigation before any conclusions were drawn.

    "The objective of this campaign of anonymous leaks is to find something to pressure Syria with. This is being turned into a political issue," Moualem told reporters after meeting his Iraqi counterpart Hoshiyar Zebari in the Syrian capital.
    Washington, Israel's chief ally, says the site was a secret nuclear reactor almost built before it was bombed by Israel, which embarked on indirect peace talks with Syria months later.
    Syria said the U.S. intelligence suggesting a nascent plutonium-making reactor was fabricated.
    The diplomats, who are close to the IAEA, said the particles retrieved from some environmental swipe samples were of processed uranium -- which could include the enriched version that in large quantities would fuel power plants or bombs.

    "Didn't anyone ask what did the Israeli bombs contain? Didn't anyone pay attention that the United States and Israel have precedents in using enriched uranium when bombing, whether in Iraq, south Lebanon or Afghanistan? We are waiting for the report before we give an answer to it," Moualem said.
    The disclosures came before the IAEA was due to discuss a report it is preparing on its findings in Syria during the agency's Nov. 27-28 governors meeting.
    The IAEA described the leaks as an effort to prejudice the agency's conclusions. IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said the IAEA's evaluation of findings from a June visit to the site was not finished and a verdict was unwarranted until the report.
    Given the sensitivity of the issue, the diplomats did not reveal their names in exchange for information.
    Concerning another subject, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari, said he transferred a message in which Iraq presented clear answers that Iraq would not be used a base to hit its neighbouring countries.
    He said: "The message contained a clear and fast assurance that there will not be any constant bases in Iraq for the U.S. forces and also Iraq will not be used as a base or passage of any aggression on any state of Iraq's neighbouring countries".
    Four U.S. helicopters attacked al-Sukkari farm, on the 26th of October 2008, in the Albou Kamal area in eastern Syria and U.S. soldiers stormed a building there. Washington blames Damascus for failing to stem the flow of al Qaeda fighters and other insurgents from crossing into Iraq.
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