US: time may come for special nuke probe of Syria

VIENNA — A U.S. envoy on Thursday suggested time was running out for Syria to cooperate with a U.N. atomic agency probe of alleged secret nuclear activities before the agency invokes its seldom-used authority to call for a special inspection – a possible prelude to U.N. Security Council involvement.

Rising to Syria’s defense, a senior Iranian diplomat accused the organization – the International Atomic Energy Agency – of harassing Syria by leveling false allegations in collusion with Israel and its allies.

The two officials spoke as the 35-nation atomic agency board meeting turned its attention from the agency’s probe of Iran’s nuclear activities to suspicions that Syria has a hidden nuclear program.

Israeli warplanes bombed what the U.S. says was a nearly finished nuclear reactor three years ago, launching an agency investigation. After an initial visit to the site, agency inspectors have not been allowed to return – or visit other suspect sites – and the agency’s chief, Yukiya Amano, says Syria’s lack of cooperation could mean that information sought by the agency could be lost with the passage of time.