The U.N. atomic watchdog agency has found evidence of secret nuclear experiments made by Egypt that could be used in weapons programs, diplomats said Tuesday.
They told The Associated Press that most of the work was carried out in the 1980s and 1990s but added the International Atomic Energy Agency also was looking at evidence suggesting some work was performed as recently as in 2004.
Egypt's government rejected claims it has been pursuing a weapons program, saying its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. "A few months ago we denied these kinds of claims and we do so again," Egyptian government spokesman Magdy Rady said. "Nothing about our nuclear program is secret and there is nothing that is not known to the IAEA."
But one of the diplomats said the Egyptians "tried to produce various components of uranium" without declaring it to the IAEA.
The work appeared to have been sporadic, involved small amounts of material and lacked a particular focus, the diplomat said.
