afrol News, 10 March - Less than three months after renouncing all programmes leading to the production of internationally proscribed weapons, Libya today signed an agreement granting the UN's atomic watchdog agency enhanced access to verify that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes only.

The so-called "Additional Protocol to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)" was today signed by the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Mohamed ElBaradei, and Libya's Assistant Secretary for Services Affairs, Matooq Mohamed Matooq. The accord also requires Libya to provide an expanded declaration of its nuclear activities.

Mr ElBaradei said the signing had indicated Libya's commitment to move away from weapons of mass destruction while continuing to reap the full benefits of nuclear applications for peaceful uses such as energy, agriculture and medicine. Tripoli has stated its intention to act as if the protocol is already in place, pending its formal entry into force.

Since Libya announced its decision in December to eliminate all materials, equipment and programmes leading to the production of internationally proscribed weapons, the IAEA has been working closely with the authorities in Tripoli to gain a complete picture of the nuclear programme and history.

To date, such "Additional Protocols" are in force in only 54 States. "I reiterate my call on all States that have not done so to conclude and bring into force their respective safeguards agreements and additional protocols," Mr ElBaradei said.

In presenting his report to the current meeting of the IAEA governing board on Monday, he said Libya's failure over many years to declare its nuclear activities represented a breach of its obligation to comply with provisions of safeguards agreement of the treaty signed today, "and its acquisition of a nuclear weapon design is clearly a matter of utmost concern."

But he added that since December, Tripoli had responded promptly to IAEA requests for information, while assisting the agency in gaining a full picture of its nuclear programme.

In other developments, the Libyan government this month has destroyed 3,300 chemical bombs under the supervision of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) - another UN agency. Last week, OPCW inspectors received the complete initial declaration of Libya's chemical weapons stockpiles, in line with the timetable earlier set.

Under OPCW supervision, the Libyan government is moving rapidly ahead to totally destroy its entire chemical weapons arsenal. OPCW leader Rogelio Pfirter last week hailed what he called the "swift and cooperative spirit of compliance on the part of the Libyan authorities."

By staff writer

© afrol News

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