Brazil Denies Blocking IAEA Inspections, Wants Protections for Industrial Secrets

Brazil said yesterday it was not blocking International Atomic Energy Agency inspections of a uranium enrichment facility, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, April 20).

“Brazil accepts inspections,” said Defense Minister Jose Viegas. 

Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said yesterday, however, that Brazil could be found in violation of its treaty obligations if it does not allow inspections of the country’s Resende uranium enrichment plant (Associated Press/Fresno Bee, June 29).

Viegas said that any inspections process would need to safeguards to Brazil’s industrial secrets, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

“It is necessary … to negotiate with the international agency the specific characteristics of future protection accords that will rule the inspections at the Resende’s production units,” he said.

ElBaradei had stipulated that the agency would not reveal any industrial methods.

“We have inspected uranium enrichment centers in many countries without revealing any industrial secret,” he said. “Brazil will not be the exception,” he added (Xinhua, June 30).

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