IAEA expects more co-op with Obama's gov't

[ZingPao]

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Friday expressed its belief that the newly elected U.S. government will have smoother cooperation with the organization in propelling Iran's denuclearization process and easing Middle East tension.

IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei praised U.S. president-elect Barack Obama's position to "create a world without nuclear weapons and value dialogue" in an article written for the Time magazine.

ElBaradei said he hoped "conditions will be created soon for direct U.S.-Iran negotiations, which are key for durable peace and security in the Middle East," adding effective nuclear disarmament activities may be restarted soon.

Another IAEA senior official, who refused to reveal his name, told the media the IAEA hopes the new U.S. government will change the strained relationship between the current U.S. administration and the IAEA and provide the IAEA with bigger support including more fund.

In his campaign for the presidency, Obama said he would pursue the policies of enhancing nuclear disarmament, abandoning modernization of nuclear weapons, reducing military nuclear stockpiles, supporting the IAEA and conducting direct U.S.-Iran negotiations. The IAEA regarded these promises as positive signs.

Relations between the George W. Bush administration and the IAEA abruptly chilled when the UN nuclear watchdog said there was no evidence to bolster U.S. intelligence pointing to an Iraqi nuclear weapons program and other information used to justify the 2003 war that overthrew Saddam Hussein. The intelligence proved mistaken.

The Bush administration attempted to prevent Elbaradei's re-election as IAEA chief in 2005, but failed.

The IAEA also sticks to a different stance from the current U.S. government on the Iranian nuclear issue. The U.S. government adopts a much more uncompromising attitude.

Source:Xinhua