IAEA studies Syrian request to switch to lower grade nuclear fuel

Source: Reuters

The U.N.'s nuclear agency is studying a request from Syria to help convert an atomic reactor near Damascus to use lower grade nuclear fuel which would be harder to use in bombs, its head said on Monday.

The reactor is currently running on highly-enriched uranium (HEU) and Syria wants the help of the International Atomic Energy Agency to use low-enriched uranium (LEU) and to ship the higher-grade material abroad, Yukiya Amano told reporters.

"We have received a request from Syria early this year to convert the HEU fuel to LEU fuel and to repatriate the HEU to the country of origin. We are now studying this request," Amano told reporters, without giving further details.

<snip>

"I renew my call to Syria to cooperate fully with us in connection with unresolved issues related to the (Deir al-Zor)site and other locations," Amano said.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/08/us-syria-nuclear-idUSKBN0OO1O920150608