NEW DELHI: Iraq had a billion dollar enrichment program and could have developed nuclear weapons in 12t0 18 months, Hans Blix, chief of the international atomic energy agency, (IAEA) said here Friday,
He said 12.5 kilograms of highly enriched uranium discovered in one Iraqi facility was removed and sent out of the country last week.
The centrifuges used by Iraqis for enrichment had been destroyed and some other equipment’s and cameras had been taken into custody, he said in a meeting with, journalists.
He said his agency got the mandate from the UN Security Council to destroy remove or render harmless materials and equipment in Iraq that could be used for manufacturing nuclear weapons.
The nuclear ambitions of Iraq a signatory to the non-proliferation treaty (NPT) has exposed weakness in the safeguards system which will be strengthened after the governing council meeting in December, Blix said.
The agency is considering several ways to strengthen and streamline the safeguards system including powers to inspect undeclared facilities. He said counties that set up enrichment facilities would be asked to declare their intention much in advance of the current 180 day limit.
Blix made it clear that additional Safeguards under consideration would apply only to countries that have signed the NPT.
Article extracted from this publication >> November 29, 1991
