Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates "Asaad al-Shaibani" affirmed that Damascus holds to its sovereign right to employ nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, during a joint press conference with the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency "Rafael Grossi", held at Tishreen Palace in Damascus.
Al-Shaibani explained that Syria had opened the doors of the Deir ez-Zor site to the agency's inspectors after a closure lasting more than 18 years, stressing that this step came on a purely Syrian initiative and stemmed from an independent sovereign decision, away from any external pressure.
He stated that the nuclear materials present on Syrian territory would remain under direct Syrian supervision, while their handling would be subject to the international agency's safeguards, noting that the government is preparing the infrastructure needed to process these materials and ensure they are stored to the required safety standards.
The minister indicated that the current administration is working to settle the nuclear files inherited from the previous era, expressing Damascus's hope to engage in a constructive partnership with the international community within the framework of peaceful uses of atomic energy, and affirming that Syria seeks, in cooperation with the agency, to demonstrate its seriousness in establishing its image as an element of regional stability.
