New York: The United Nations atomic agency will conduct an investigation into allegation that Syria was building a secret nuclear reactor, which was yet to become operational when it was destroyed by the Israelis.

The Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency announced that it would investigate after the United States provided information making the allegations against Syria.

Israeli planes in a raid last September had reportedly destroyed a Syrian facility, which allegedly contained a nuclear reactor.

In a statement, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said that the agency would use "this information with the seriousness it deserves and will investigate the veracity of the information."

Syria, he noted, is obligated under its safeguards agreement with the agency to report the planning and construction of any nuclear facility.

The information provided by the US alleged that the installation bombed by Israel was a nuclear reactor that was not yet operational and had not had any nuclear material introduced into it.

"The Director General deplores the fact that this information was not provided to the agency in a timely manner, in accordance with the agency's responsibilities under the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to enable it to verify its veracity and establish the facts," ElBaradei said.

"Under the NPT, the agency has a responsibility to verify any proliferation allegations in a non-nuclear weapon state party to the NPT and to report its findings to the IAEA Board of Governors and the Security Council, as required."

"The Director General views the unilateral military action by Israel as undermining the due process of verification that is at the heart of the non-proliferation regime," ElBaradei added.

Source : PTI