United Nations Radio

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has received information that the installation destroyed by Israel in Syria last September was a nuclear reactor.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Marie Okabe says that based on this information provided by the United Sates, the reactor was not yet operational and no nuclear material had been introduced into it.

"IAEA will treat this information with the seriousness it deserves and will investigate its veracity. Syria has and obligation under its safeguard agreement with the IAEA to report the Planning and construction of any nuclear facility to the Agency."

According to an IAEA press-release, Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei deplores the fact that this information was not provided to the Agency in a timely manner to enable it to verify it and establish the facts. The Agency recalls that under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), it has an obligation to verify any proliferation allegations regarding a non-nuclear weapon State party to the NPT. The IAEA adds that Dr. El Baradei views the unilateral use of force by Israel as undermining the due process of verification.

Reporting for UN Radio, I'm Bissera Kostova.

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