U.S. voices concern on Syria's nuclear activity

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United States on Friday urged Syria to cooperate with the international nuclear watchdog on its suspected nuclear activity, saying the decision to return ambassador to Damascus serves U.S. interests.

On Thursday, the International Atomic energy Agency (IAEA) said in a report that uranium particles found by the agency at a site bombed by Israel in 2007 showed that Syria could have been conducting nuclear-related activity.

"We remain concerned about Syria's nuclear activity. They have not explained what was happening at the Al Kibar reactor. It's refused to cooperate with the IAEA or account for chemically processed uranium found at two sites," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

"The presence of such particles points to the possibility of nuclear-related activities at the site and adds to questions concerning the nature of the destroyed building," said IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano, adding that Syria has yet to provide a "satisfactory explanation" for the origin and presence of the particles.

The Israeli Air Force launched a strike called "Operation Orchard" at a site in Syrian's northern desert on September 6, 2007.

Israel and The United States claimed that the site was a nuclear reactor, which was built with the assistance of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to produce plutonium, a necessary material used for producing nuclear weapons. Damascus denied the assertion.

The United States froze diplomatic relations with Syria by recalling its ambassador Margaret Scobey following the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Washington blamed it on Syria while Damascus denied the accusation.

The Obama administration, since it took office in January, 2009, has been pushing Syria to play a positive role in the Middle East affairs ranging from Iran's nuclear deadlock to the Israli- Palestinian conflict.

Early this month, the administration nominated experienced diplomat Robert Ford, who is familiar with Middle East affairs, to serve as ambassador to Syria.

"We're not putting an ambassador into Damascus as a favor to Syria. We're putting an ambassador in Damascus so we can have the kind of direct conversation and engagement that we think is necessary in the region in the 21st century," said Crowley.