The United States Displays Equipment Obtained from Libya - 2004-03-16

The United States has displayed equipment that was used as part of Libya's nuclear program. On Monday, Spencer Abraham, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, showed this equipment and materials to reporters in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The presented materials include 48 wooden boxes and crates that, according to President Bush's administration, contain weapons of mass destruction that have been removed from classified status. Mr. Abraham called Libya's decision last December to dismantle its nuclear equipment a significant victory in the war on terrorism. Following months of negotiations between the United States and Britain with Libya, the country agreed to abandon its weapons of mass destruction and related materials. On the same day, in a separate event, Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, stated that Iran has allowed inspectors to return to the country on March 27. Iran had suspended the work of the agency's inspectors the previous week. The suspension of inspections occurred when the IAEA resolution accused Tehran of concealing key technology related to its nuclear program. The Iranian Foreign Ministry called this resolution insulting. U.S. officials have accused Iran of having a clandestine nuclear weapons program. However, the Iranian government emphasizes that its nuclear program has peaceful objectives.