Russia Rejects Referring Syrian File for Discussion at IAEA Board of Governors

MOSCOW-Russia has objected to referring the Syrian file for discussion at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board of governors, describing charges against Syria of breaching its obligations as “unreasonable,” SANA reported.

 “Syria has not violated its non-proliferation obligations, and thus there are no objective grounds to put the Syrian file to discussion at the IAEA board of governors,” said the Russian delegation in an address during a meeting Wednesday of the Agency’s board of governors in Vienna published on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website.

 The Russian delegation hoped that the new administration of the IAEA Department of Safeguards will manage to curb some countries’ speculations over proliferation dangers allegedly linked to Syria, dismissing “the blatant fabrication of such proofs by those who try in vain to accuse Damascus.”

The Russian delegation said the hype-up surrounding the Syrian armament program proves once again that the IAEA Safeguards and the nuclear non-proliferation system are no more than ‘manipulation tools and a pliant mean to achieve narrow political interests.”

The delegation urged Western countries to desist from issuing ultimatums and making threats against other countries and to back joint international efforts to bolster the international non-proliferation system.