Turkey emphasizes cooperation with IAEA to close Syria's nuclear file

A "briefing on Syria's nuclear file" was held by Syria before the IAEA Board of Directors meeting to be held on September 7-11 at the UN Vienna Office.

In the briefing, the visit of IAEA officials to Syria and the findings regarding the nuclear material remaining from the deposed Assad regime were discussed.

Speaking at the briefing meeting, Türkiye's Permanent Representative to the UN Vienna Office, Ambassador Mustafa Kibaroğlu, said, "This briefing is clear evidence of the new Syrian government's desire to close the nuclear file inherited from the old regime before the IAEA." he said.

Kibaroğlu stated that we have entered a new era and emphasized that Türkiye attaches great importance to Syria's close cooperation with the IAEA.

Stating that they also welcomed the visit of IAEA President Rafael Mariano Grossi to Syria on 17-18 August, Kibaroğlu said, "Turkey also welcomes the normalization efforts of the Syrian government with the international community and remains determined to support Syria on all relevant platforms." he said.

Kibaroğlu noted that the latest report shows that Syria has taken measures to improve its situation by providing information about nuclear facilities and materials to the IAEA, in accordance with its responsibility.

IAEA President Grossi, in his statement in Damascus on August 18, announced that there were "several tons of nuclear material" remaining from the deposed Bashar Assad regime in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province, and that this area was opened to inspectors.

In the report distributed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to its member countries and leaked to the international press, it was stated that the Agency's inspectors carried out verification studies in various fields in Syria in August.

In the said report, it was noted that as a result of the field visits, it was determined that the Assad regime did not report the nuclear materials, facilities and activities that it was required to report in accordance with the assurance control agreement within the scope of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).