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Monday, December 1, 2008

UN agency backs nuclear aid for Syria one year after bombing of reactor

LONDON — The International Atomic Energy Agency, on the heels of an investigation that found undeclared processed uranium in Syria, has approved nuclear assistance to the regime of President Bashar Assad.

The IAEA vote came a week after the United Nations agency acknowledged finding traces of processed uranium at a site in northeastern Syria bombed by the Israel Air Force in September 2007. The report was accompanied by an appeal from IAEA director-general Mohammed El Baradei for Syria to demonstrate nuclear transparency.

The United States said the IAEA finding supported Washington's assertion that Syria had nearly completed a North Korean-designed plutonium production facility. Such a facility was said to be capable of rapidly producing enough fissile material for a nuclear warhead.

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But diplomats said El Baradei lobbied Western states to approve IAEA nuclear aid to Damascus. They said El Baradei agreed to increase his agency's supervision over Syria's nuclear program.

The IAEA vote to help Damascus on Nov. 26 — which ended a three-day deadlock — was spearheaded by Syria's allies, China, Iran and Russia.

"Approval by the 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency showed an understanding of the position of Syria," Syrian envoy to IAEA, Ibrahim Othman, said. "We are not under investigation."

Diplomats said Syria would receive IAEA technical expertise as well as equipment for the construction of a nuclear energy reactor. They said the initial aid of $350,000 would be allocated for a feasbility study for a nuclear reactor in Syria, a project expected to begin in 2009.
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