
UN Nuclear watchdog chief Mohamed ElBaradei said on Monday he had agreed with senior US and British officials how to assess and dismantle Libya8217;s atomic capabilities. Diplomats said ElBaradei wanted assurances that the UN agency would not be shut out of verifying Libya8217;s nuclear programmes.
8216;8216;We have an agreement on what needs to be done. We need to do the verification,8217;8217; ElBaradei said in Vienna. He made the comments after meeting John Bolton, the US Undersecretary of State for Arms Control, and his British counterpart, William Ehrman.
8216;8216;It was a constructive meeting. I think we8217;re all on the same page with the IAEA,8217;8217; Bolton said. ElBaradei said IAEA would verify Libya8217;s nuclear disarmament while British and US troops would carry out the destruction and removal of any nuclear equipment or materials.
8216;8216;We need British and US support with logistics and I think the meeting was trying to coordinate our cooperation,8217;8217; he said. 8216;8216;It8217;s important that we move fast.8217;8217;
The agency has publicly disagreed with the UK and US over the scope of Libya8217;s nuclear programme after the IAEA concluded that Libya was years from producing a weapon despite comments from UK and US suggesting it was close to having the bomb. 8212; Reuters