politics
US negotiates deal for removal of nuclear material from covert Syrian site: Report
The United States negotiated a plan to remove nuclear material from a clandestine site in Syria after reaching an agreement with the governments of Syria and Israel.
TL;DR
- The US negotiated a plan to remove nuclear material from a clandestine site in Syria called 'Site 99'.
- The agreement was reached with the governments of Syria and Israel.
- The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will conduct the removal of the nuclear material.
- The material includes yellowcake and was part of Syria's abandoned nuclear program.
- Concerns arose about the material being used in a 'dirty bomb' rather than a nuclear weapon.
- Top-secret negotiations involved the US, Syria, Israel, and Turkey over several months.
- The Syrian government was reportedly unaware of the nuclear material's presence.
- Urgency increased when Israel detected movement at the site.
- The deal is seen as illustrating growing closeness between the US and the new Syrian government.
- Syria's nuclear program, aided by North Korea, was abandoned after an Israeli raid in 2007.