Vienna, Asharq Al-Awsat – Syria has called on the International Atomic Energy Agency [IAEA] to investigate Israel further regarding the traces of uranium which international inspectors found in the Syrian Dayr al-Zur installation that Israel had destroyed on the pretext that it was a nuclear reactor which Syria was about to complete building.

A Syrian diplomatic source told Asharq Al-Awsat in Vienna yesterday that its country had officially requested the IAEA at the meeting of its board of trustees to ask Tel Aviv and not Damascus about the sources of the uranium traces which Syria asserts were the result of Israeli shells. It added that its country refuted to the conferees the allegations that Dayr al-Zur was a nuclear reactor and reiterated that it was and would remain a military site which Syria is now restoring to its military nature. It pointed out that Syria is demanding the closure of the so-called “Syria’s nuclear dossier.”

In reply to Asharq Al-Awsat question whether Syria realizes where the denial might lead it to despite the evidence of secret military activity, the source said “Syria is always ready to shoulder the consequences of its actions” and denied again that it has any nuclear activity outside IAEA’s control. The official underlined his country’s continued cooperation with the IAEA in accordance with the agreements between them and stressed that Syria considers these agreements binding on it. Asked whether Syria can cooperate fully with the IAEA’s investigations and therefore win the international community’s trust, approval, and assistance as was the case with Libya when it abandoned its undeclared nuclear activity, the Syrian official said his country has nothing to declare and rejects the accusations of secret nuclear activity in whole and parcel and reiterated that Dayr al-Zur was and will return to be a military installation.