Paris
25 April 2008
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Friday criticized the United States for withholding information about an alleged nuclear reactor in Syria - and Israel for reportedly bombing it. Lisa Bryant has more for VOA from Paris.
In the statement, ElBaradei accused Israel of using unilateral force in bombing the alleged reactor -- and by doing so undermining verification that is central to nuclear nonproliferation issues. The IAEA depends on information from member states to curb nuclear proliferation.
For his part Syria's ambassador to the United Nations, Bashar Ja'afari, has denied that a nuclear reactor had ever existed in his country's territory.
"We said it many times in the past, that there were no Syrian-North Korean cooperation whatsoever in Syria," he said. "We deny these rumors. This is what I can say with this regard."
The U.N. agency said it would investigate the allegations about the nuclear facility in Syria. Some fear the allegations about North Korea's help might undermine international talks aimed at getting Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear program.