Boost in IAEA Intelligence Capability Looks Unlikely in Near Term

Boost in IAEA Intelligence Capability Looks Unlikely in Near Term
Monday, June 22, 2009

By Elaine M. Grossman

Global Security Newswire

One former U.S. official believes that the International Atomic Energy Agency needs stronger intelligence capabilities to battle nuclear smuggling operations, such as the network once led by former top Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan, shown in February (Farooq Naeem/Getty Images).

WASHINGTON -- A former U.S. official's concept for expanding intelligence functions at the International Atomic Energy Agency is garnering some interest but appears unlikely to be implemented anytime soon, according to several nonproliferation experts (see GSN, April 2).

Intelligence issues were not on the agenda at an IAEA Board of Governors meeting last week in Vienna, Austria, and do not appear high on the Obama administration priority list for revamping the nuclear nonproliferation regime.

Still, a lukewarm reception has not deterred Rolf Mowatt-Larssen, who until January headed the Energy Department's intelligence branch. He argues that the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency must build its own intelligence unit if terrorists are to be prevented from acquiring a weapon of mass destruction.

See Full Article...
http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20090622_4368.php