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LIBYA CONTINUES TO move forward in fulfilling its December 2003 pledge to eliminate its nuclear and chemical weapons programs, as well as its long-range missiles. Perhaps in an effort to encourage other countries to follow Libya's example, the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Board of Governors adopted a resolution March 10 finding that Libya's past clandestine nuclear activities "constituted non-compliance" with its IAEA safeguards agreement, while also praising Libya's subsequent cooperation and dismantlement efforts.
Although the board expressed "concern" about Tripoli's secret nuclear efforts and called them a "breach of its obligation to comply with...its Safeguards Agreement," it also commended the government's "actions....to remedy the non-compliance." IAEA Director-General Mohamed ElBaradei told the board March 8 that Libya has displayed "active cooperation" with the agency's efforts to investigate its nuclear activities, allowing inspectors "unrestricted access to all requested locations" and providing the agency with relevant information.
Because of this cooperation, the resolution requested that ElBaradei report Libya's noncompliance to the UN security Council "for information purposes only." The IAEA is required to report findings of noncompliance to the security Council, which then has the option of taking action against the offending government. There is no indication that the security Council intends to do so in Libya's case.
The resolution's finding of noncompliance is based on a Feb. 20 agency report which provided new details on how, starting in the 1980s, Libya failed to report a variety of nuclear activities to the IAEA-a violation of its safeguards agreement ( see box). Such agreements allow the IAEA to monitor states-parties' compliance with the nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), which Libya joined in 1975. The IAEA first stated in December that Libya violated its safeguards agreement but provided no specifics.
Libya fulfilled another of its December commitments by signing an additional protocol to its safeguards agreement March 10. Such protocols expand the IAEA's authority to investigate suspected clandestine nuclear activities. Libya had previously agreed to act as if the protocol were in force until it is ratified.
The IAEA is continuing to verify Libya's claims and investigate its procurement network. ElBaradei is to issue a report on the...