Syria to cooperate with IAEA 

(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA))
Syrian will cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) team scheduled to arrive in Syria soon, Syrian representative at IAEA Ibrahim Othman said on Friday.

"Al-Kiber military facility that was attacked by Israel back in 2007 is in no means used in nuclear activities," Othman said, commenting on IAEA Watchdog Chief Mohamed El-Baradei' remarks.

In a press statement, he said that Israel should undergo an IAEA investigation as well, to ensure that the region was nuclear-free.

Israel should have filed a complaint with the IAEA to see if Syria is actually enriching uranium instead of throwing accusations at Damascus, he said.

The nuclear power plant of the Syrian Research Center is not capable of enriching uranium as it is with a capability of 30 kilowatt, he said, adding that in line with Syria's 2006 agreement with the IAEA, the plant was being supervised by the agency.

The plant is used for neutron activation and other researches that are not related to nuclear energy.

El-Baradei sparred with an Israeli envoy Thursday after being accused of being bias in handling Syrian nuclear activities' investigation. Israeli Ambassador Israel Michaeli accused El-Baradei, during a debate on Syria at a meeting of the IAEA's 35-member board yesterday, of politicizing the Syrian nuclear issue.