Libya opens nuclear programmes to UN inspection

LIBYA has agreed to open its nuclear activities to pervasive inspection by the UN atomic agency as early as next week, a key step toward honouring a promise to scrap its nuclear weapons programme.

Libya's decision followed a meeting its delegation had on Saturday with Mohamed El Baradei, the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

The session came after Libyan leader Moammar Gadaffi's surprise announcement on Friday that his country would give up nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction.