Thaindian News

Vienna, Sep 23 (Xinhua) The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has so far not found any trace of nuclear material in Syria’s Al-Kibar facility, but it will continue investigating whether the country was developing weapons at the site, the chief of UN nuclear watchdog has said.Addressing an IAEA council meeting in Vienna Monday, Mohammed ElBaradei, IAEA director general, also said that Syria has not provided the agency supplementary information so far about its related nuclear activities as requested.

In September 2007, Israeli air force struck over 100 km deep into Syria and bombed out a facility in Syrian Al-Kibar. Then Israel claimed that Syria was developing nuclear weapons in that facility, a charge Syria rejected.

However, the allegation promoted an IAEA investigation into the matter and asked Syria to provide further information about the nuclear facility and the nature of programme it had undertaken.

ElBaradei also noted at the council meeting that IAEA could not make sure whether Libya was involved in activities of nuclear weapon development in the country.

Libya’s explanation of its nuclear programme accorded with the outcome of IAEA’s investigation, but IAEA would continue normal security inspection, so as to ensure Libya owned no secret nuclear materials, he said.

Libya announced at the end of 2003 that it was willing to abandon its plan of developing weapons of mass destruction and to receive supervision of weapons from the international society.