US, Britain to hold talks with IAEA over Libya's nuclear issue

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, January 17, 2004

US, Britain to hold talks with IAEA over Libya's nuclear issue

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Senior United States and British officials will hold talks Monday with the United Nations nuclear watchdog in a bid to bridge differences over their roles in disarming Libya, diplomats here said on Friday.

Unconfirmed sources said the US undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, John Bolton may attend the meeting.

Analysts said the meeting is aimed at smoothing the rough edgesbetween the nuclear agency and the United States and Britain over who will take the lead in dampening Libya's nuclear ambitions.

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) spokesman, Mark Gwozdecky said the agency is coordinating closely with the British,US and other governments to ensure a common understanding of respective operational roles in Libya's implementation of its commitments for eliminating weapons of mass destruction-related capabilities.

Libya surprised the world on Dec. 19, when it announced its decision to dismantle the WMD programs after months of secret talks with the United States and Britain.

Since then, US and British experts as well as IAEA inspectors have visited Libya.

Divergence surfaced when the IAEA, after a preliminary inspection of its nuclear facilities, considered Libya far from building nuclear weapons. However, Washington and London asserted it was close to producing a nuclear weapon.

The dispute ran deep when both sides wanted to assume the leading role in disarming Libya.

Earlier this month, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said the IAEA should take the role. And the IAEA spokesman Gwozdecky echoedthis remark by saying the UN nuclear agency is the sole world bodywith authority for verifying Libya's compliance with the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

He said: "the agency's verification responsibilities under the NPT are clear."

Nevertheless, Washington insisted Libya's decision came as a result of the US-British negotiations, therefore, they should takethe lead.

On Wednesday, the situation took a promising turn when both sides sought to play down the difference.

A US official said they were doing well in bridging the difference, and IAEA spokesman Gwozdecky said the consultation would continue.

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