Head of the International Atomic Energy Agency Mohammed ElBaradei said in an interview broadcast Wednesday that the scope of Israel's nuclear weapons program constitutes a "mystery" to the IAEA. The nuclear watchdog chief was interviewed during his visit to Libya.
"Unfortunately I can't give a precise viewpoint regarding it because we don't do any inspections in Israel," ElBaradei told Dubai-based Al Arabiya television when asked about the extent of Israel's nuclear weapons program.
"I know that it's a developed program, and Israel does not deny that it has nuclear capability, however the size of the program, the extent of its development, really I can't know."
"It's enough for me to know that it has nuclear capability, there is a conviction that it has a nuclear weapon," ElBaradei said.
"Israel still believes that in the absence of complete recognition by all countries in the [Mid-East] region it can't talk about giving up the nuclear deterrent or limiting conventional and non-conventional weapons," ElBaradei commented.
Meanwhile, ElBaradei said in Rome Tuesday that
Iran's cooperation with the IAEA experts on the country's nuclear activities was "good", according to the official IRNA news agency.
The IAEA chief said Tehran showed good cooperation and added he welcomed the Islamic republic's decision to halt uranium enrichment activities, the news agency added. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
