Romania not an actor in uranium and plutonium smuggling

Joi, 10 ianuarie 2008, 16:07 English | Top News

Romania is not included in the database of the International Atomic Energy Agency in any aspects of the illegal traffic of enriched uranium and plutonium, the IAEA website reveals. At the beginning of the week, IAEA director Mohamed ElBaradei expressed his concern that Al-Qaeda may be supplied with nuclear or radioactive materials coming from Ukraine, Romania, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Romanian authorities reacted promptly, denying the existence of such a traffic on Romanian soil.

The information was baked by the Romanian Intelligence Service and by Zsombori Vilmos, president of the Commission for Nuclear Activities Control.

Also, the latest global report published by IAEA in September 2007 does not include Romania among the countries where nuclear-related incidents took place. Instead, Georgia was pointed at, after a group of individuals were arrested while trying to sell some 80 grams of enriched uranium.

Unlike its manager, IAEA has a positive attitude towards Romania, praising its support for worldwide nuclear security.