In Focus :: IAEA and Libya
News Update on IAEA & Libya
Chronology of Key Events
(December 2003 - September 2008)
29, Monday. IAEA General Conference Opens in Vienna. The 52nd annual IAEA General Conference opened in Vienna, Austria with high-level delegates and representatives from the Agency´s 145 Member States in attendance. In a statement to delegates, Director General ElBaradei reviewed tough challenges and hard decisions facing the Agency in areas of nuclear safeguards, security, safety, and peaceful development. Full Story | DG Statement | Audio: DG Statement [.mp3] | 52nd IAEA General Conference Libya´s Statement, in Arabic [pdf]
22, Monday. IAEA Board Begins September Deliberations. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei briefed the IAEA Board of Governors today on a range of issues, including nuclear safeguards, technical cooperation, and safety and security. The 35-member policymaking body meets this week in Vienna. Full Story | DG Statement | Video: DG Statement Audio: 1 : 2 : 3 [.mp3] | IAEA Board Report, 12 September 2008 [pdf]
12, Friday. Libya Safeguards Report Circulated to IAEA Board. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei circulated his latest report entitled Implementation of the NPT Safeguards Agreement in the Socialist People´s Libyan Arab Jamahiriya to the Agency´s Board of Governors, the 35-member policymaking body. IAEA Board Report [pdf]
2, Monday: IAEA Director General Briefs Board. Dr. ElBaradei briefed the Board on the latest developments regarding the IAEA´s verification of Libya´s nuclear programme, noting that Libya recently has provided additional information to inspectors. DG Statement
27, Thursday: Nuclear Material Removed from Libya. Three kilograms of Russian-origin material that could be used for a nuclear weapon was removed from Libya with support from the US Department of Energy´s National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) and the IAEA. NNSA Press Release
20, Thursday: Libya Ratifies Physical Protection Convention. Libya advised the IAEA of its ratification of the International Convention on Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Ratification was on 19 July 2006. Convention | Nuclear Security
18, Saturday: IAEA Board of Governors Met on Nuclear, Other Issues. The IAEA Board of Governors opened its meetings 13 September in Vienna, a week before the opening of the Agency´s General Conference of Member States. The Board agenda included topics of nuclear security, waste management, and nuclear verification in Iran and Libya. IAEA Board Report, 30 August 2004 [pdf] | DG Statement
1, Wednesday: IAEA Director General Submits Report on Libya Verification to Agency Board. The IAEA Board of Governors has received a report on the Agency´s verification of Libya´s nuclear programme in advance of its next meetings, opening in Vienna 13 September.IAEA Board Report, 30 August 2004 [pdf] | Media Advisory | DG Statement, 14 June 2004
14, Monday : IAEA Director General Reports on Nuclear Verification in Libya. In a statement to the IAEA Board of Governors, IAEA Director General reviewed the IAEA´s verification of Libya´s nuclear programme: "Libya has proactively cooperated with the Agency by providing information and prompt access to all locations requested. We are making good progress in understanding Libya´s past nuclear activities but some aspects still need to be assessed, and it is important that Libya provide the necessary information to enable that assessment to be made." DG Statement
22, Monday : UN Security Council Welcomes Libya´s Cooperation with IAEA. The United Nations Security Council today welcomed Libya´s decision to cooperate with the IAEA and abandon its programmes to develop weapons of mass destruction (WMDs), along with the means to deliver them. UN Press Release »
10, Wednesday: IAEA Verification of Libya´s Nuclear Programme Libya today signed an Additional Protocol to its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards agreement, giving IAEA inspectors greater authority in verifying the country's nuclear programme. Full Story »
12, Friday: Libya Signs Additional Protocol. Libya signs an Additional Protocol to its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Safeguards Agreement, giving IAEA inspectors greater authority in verifying the country´s nuclear programme. Full Story »
10, Wednesday: IAEA Board Issues Resolution. The Agency´s Board of Governors recognise Libya´s actions as a step towards the goal of an Africa and a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and at peace. Resolution »
8, Monday: IAEA Chief Briefs Board on Libya and Other Topics.IAEA Director General ElBaradei tells the Board of Governors, "following the disclosure of its undeclared nuclear activities, Libya has granted the Agency unrestricted access to all requested locations, responded promptly to the Agency´s requests for information, and assisted the Agency in gaining a full picture of its nuclear programme." Full Story »
8, Monday: Removal of Fresh Nuclear Fuel from Libya. The Agency assists Libyan authorities with the removal of weapons-grade highly enriched uranium (HEU) stored at a research reactor facility on the outskirts of Tripoli. Full Story »
24, Tuesday: IAEA Chief ElBaradei Cites Libya´s Cooperation.During his visit to Libya, 23-24 February 2004, IAEA Director General ElBaradei tells the press that Libya is very forthcoming in providing information and access, but not the Agency´s only source of information. "We are still putting the pieces of the puzzle together" to gain a complete picture of Libya´s past and present nuclear activities, he said. Full Story »
12, Thursday: ElBaradei Urges Tougher Action Against Nuclear Proliferation & Black Market. In an essay published in the New York Times, IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei underlined the need for urgent action to toughen the world´s regime to stop the spread of nuclear weapons. His proposed measures include the need for additional authority for the IAEA, a much more stringent export control system and accelerated efforts towards nuclear disarmament. Separately, in commenting on non-proliferation proposals by US President Bush, Dr. ElBaradei said he shared "the same concern and sense of urgency". Director General Essay | US President Bush´s Proposals | Comments on US President Bush's Proposals »
28, Wednesday: IAEA Inspections in Libya Making Progress. In a note to its Member States, the IAEA said that its inspectors had made rapid and steady progress in their nuclear verification efforts in Libya. They had benefited from a high level of cooperation from the Libyan authorities. Full Story »
19, Monday: IAEA, US and UK Discuss Libya. IAEA Director General ElBaradei meets with US Under Secretary, Arms Control and International Security, John Bolton and his UK counterpart, William Ehrman to coordinate their respective efforts in implementing Libya´s decision to abandon any nuclear weapons related program and activities. Full Story »
17, Tuesday: IAEA Chief to Visit Libya. IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei to make a second trip to Libya from 23-24 February 2004 to meet with senior Libyan officials and review progress in the Agency´s work. Full Story »
27, Saturday: IAEA Team in Libya. Dr. ElBaradei visits Libya 27-29 December to kick start in-depth verification activities in Libya. The IAEA Inspection team begins its work.
22, Monday: IAEA Director General to Visit Libya. Dr. ElBaradei announces he will visit Libya in the immediate future with a team of senior IAEA technical experts. "The purpose of my visit will be to initiate an in-depth process of verification of all of Libya´s past and present nuclear activities," Dr. ElBaradei said. Read Full Story »
20, Saturday: IAEA Chief and Libyan Authorities Meet on Next Steps. Libya agrees to pursue with the IAEA, a policy of full transparency and active co-operation. In a meeting with IAEA Director General ElBaradei, Mr. Matooq Mohamed Matooq, Libya´s Assistant Secretary for Services Affairs, said Libya would sign an Additional Protocol to its safeguards agreement, giving the Agency broader inspection rights. In the meeting, Mr. Matooq reiterated Libya´s decision to eliminate "materials, equipments and programmes which lead to the production of internationally proscribed weapons". He informed Dr. ElBaradei that Libya had engaged for more than a decade, in the development of a uranium enrichment capability. However, said that his country´s nuclear enrichment programme was at an early stage of development and that no industrial scale facility had been built, nor any enriched uranium produced.
19, Friday: Libya to Eliminate any Nuclear Related Weapons Program. Libya announces its decision to eliminate all materials, equipment and programmes leading to the production of internationally proscribed weapons - including nuclear weapons. Libya´s failure, over many years, to declare to the IAEA its nuclear material and activities breached its safeguards agreement with the Agency.