Inspector: Libya not close to making nukes

TRIPOLI, Libya, Dec. 29 (UPI) -- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said Monday Libya has agreed to snap inspections of its nuclear installations.

But Mohammed el-Baradei also said Libya was not close to producing nuclear weapons, the BBC reported.

He said Libya will start from Monday to act as is it has already signed the additional protocol of the Non-Proliferation Treaty which allows the IAEA to conduct unexpected and surprise inspections of nuclear sites.

El-Baradei spoke at the end of a two-day trip to Libya, the first since the country agreed to give up its weapons drive. He welcomed Libya's cooperation with inspection teams who have already verified four installations which were not inspected previously.

He told reporters that Libyan officials showed IAEA inspectors equipment for uranium enriching and purification but which had been dismantled and placed into boxes.

He said Libya bought the equipment on the black market.

IAEA inspectors also conferred with Libyan technicians who briefed them on their history of their country's nuclear programs.