UN inspectors visit nuclear positions in Libya

Teams of the International Agency for Atomic Energy started yesterday inspection works on institutions related to Libyan armament programs.

A diplomat close to the delegation said he does not know the facilities which the Libyan will make accessible for them. He added that members of the agency will stay in Tripoli until Thursday, and it is expected they will see "everything they need to see." A team representing the agency inspectors, chaired by its chairman Muhammad al-Baradi, arrived in Tripoli on Saturday just one week after Libya had admitted the manufacturing of banned weapons, including the attempt to manufacture nuclear weapons.

Al-Baradi is expected to stay in Tripoli until Monday, when he will be meeting with several Libyan officials who were supervising these programs, amid predictions that he will be meeting with Libya's leader.

In a joint press conference in the presence of the secretary of the foreign relations secretary, Muhammad Abdul Rahman Shalqam al-Baradi, said that Libya's declaration to give up weapons of mass destruction should become an example to be followed at the international level. Baradi said that he does not think that Libya was about to develop a nuclear weapon, but the mission of his team lies in getting a comprehensive picture of the Libyan nuclear program. He added that Shalqam promised him that his country will deal with the inspectors team with full transparency.

Shalqam promised that his country will sign the addition protocol which permits the agency to make unannounced inspection operations at its nuclear facilities.