U.N. Saw Signs of Libya Nuke Program - Diplomats
Fri Dec 19, 6:43 PM ET Add World - Reuters to My Yahoo!
By Louis Charbonneau
VIENNA (Reuters) - Prior to Libya's announcement it would renounce weapons of mass destruction, the U.N. nuclear watchdog had been concerned about signs Tripoli wanted to develop atomic arms, diplomats said on Friday.
A British official said Libya had not acquired a nuclear bomb, "though it was close to developing one."
Several Western diplomats told Reuters on condition of anonymity there were indications Libya had been trying to gather a team of nuclear experts from ex-communist states in central and eastern Europe in what looked like the beginnings of a future nuclear weapons program.
This had not escaped the attention of the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations (news - web sites) body charged with policing compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), one diplomat said.
"Segments of the IAEA have become very concerned about Libya," one Western diplomat told Reuters, adding that the IAEA's safeguards department had been "especially concerned."
The IAEA's safeguards department is charged with monitoring NPT signatories' civilian nuclear programs to ensure resources are not diverted to clandestine military programs.
Another diplomat said there had been signs Tripoli had embarked on a "procurement program" linked to developing nuclear weapons, though he gave no details of the procurement effort.
The British official said a British team working with the Libyans had seen nuclear projects under way at more than 10 sites, including the enrichment of uranium. It also saw dual-use sites with the potential to support work on biological weapons.
Libya's announcement that it would let the IAEA and other international organizations come to Libya and oversee the dismantlement of its weapons programs comes one day after Iran signed the NPT Additional Protocol permitting more intrusive, short-notice IAEA inspections of its nuclear sites.
Washington accuses Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a front to develop the atomic bomb, a charge Tehran denies.
Libya has also agreed to "immediately" sign the NPT protocol, British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites) told a news conference.
Tripoli has long been on the radar screens of non-proliferation experts.
The Nuclear Threat Initiative, a U.S.-based disarmament think-tank, said in a comment posted on its Web site (www.nti.org) before Libya's announcement: "There remain... continuing allegations that Libya is indeed pursuing a nuclear weapon capability."
After the recent discovery of Iran's 18-year cover-up of potentially arms-related atomic research, the IAEA has begun pressing all countries to open up their nuclear programs as much as possible -- especially uranium enrichment facilities, which can be used to produce bomb-grade material.
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