|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
U.S., IAEA Dispute Plans for Iraqi Uranium
The United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency are debating U.S. intentions to remove more than 500 tons of uranium from Iraq, the New York Times reported Saturday (see GSN, Aug. 7, 2003). The United States has informed the agency of its plans to remove the uranium, stored at the Tuwaitha nuclear complex south of Baghdad, to a location outside of Iraq, Western diplomats said. The material includes 500 tons of slightly processed uranium ore called yellowcake and about 2 tons of low-enriched uranium, according to the Times. None of the uranium has been enriched to the point where it could be used in a nuclear weapon. If moved, the material would probably be transported to a secure repository within the United States, according to nuclear experts. An official with the Coalition Provisional Authority in Baghdad confirmed that a proposal to remove the uranium was under consideration, according to the Times. “The story I’ve heard is that no decision has been made as yet,” the official said. “That was some months ago. When it was discussed, the view was that it was just too expensive to ship. I doubt that anything has changed,” the official added. The International Atomic Energy Agency, however, views the uranium as Iraqi property and believes that the agency cannot give permission for its removal from the country, a diplomat said. The diplomat also said that the United States was likely to move ahead with the plan regardless of the IAEA position, adding that U.S. officials discussed the proposal earlier this year with the agency before increased instability occurred in Iraq. “I think that if the stuff had not gone up in intensity … they would already have moved on this,” the diplomat said (James Glanz, New York Times, May 22).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
