Libya had contact with Pakistan's Khan earlier than thought: IAEA
Libya, which abandoned a clandestine nuclear weapons programme in 2003, was in contact with the black market network of Pakistani nuclear scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan much earlier than first thought, a new report by the UN atomic watchdog revealed Friday.
According to a restricted report by International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei, a copy of which was obtained by AFP, Libya's contacts with Khan date back to 1984, more than 10 years earlier than previously assumed.
The report, which was circulated to the IAEA's board of governors Friday, said that Libyan officials met with Khan in January 1984.
"During this meeting, Khan described to a senior Libyan official the technologies for acquiring nuclear material, and the necessary resources and capabilities, and offered to sell Libya centrifuge enrichment technology," the report said.
Uranium gas centrifuges are used to enrich uranium, which can be used to make the fissile material for an atomic bomb.
However, "according to Libya, the Libyan official felt that the scientific and industrial requirements were too demanding for Libya in terms of resources and technological capabilities at that time, and a decision was made not to pursue the offer," it said.
Further "senior level contacts" took place between Libya and Khan between 1989 and 1991, in which Libya acquired information on first-generation centrifuges.
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