Nuclear body refers Syria to UN

The UN nuclear watchdog voted today to report Syria to the UN Security Council for violating its safeguard agreements, citing Syria’s undeclared construction of a covert nuclear reactor and refusal to supply information.

The move by the International Atomic Energy Agency comes amid political protests in Syria, but Washington and its allies insist the timing has nothing to do with the crackdown on pro-democracy protesters and is separate from an effort by European nations to have the Security Council condemn Syrian President Bashar Assad’s regime.