Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Mohammed ElBaradei on Thursday criticized Israel for lack of cooperation on clarifying Syria's so-called nuclear issue.

When discussing Syria's nuclear issue at an IAEA board meeting, Israeli Ambassador to IAEA Israel Michaeli required the IAEA to speed up investigation and "to avoid political bias in dealing with Syria's nuclear file," said officials participating in the meeting.

ElBaradei was unsatisfied with Israel's remarks, saying that "we would appreciate it if you stopped preaching to us."

The IAEA "is not behaving selectively, and is implementing international law," said ElBaradei.

When Israel sent fighters unauthorizedly to Syria and "bombed what was claimed to be a nuclear facility," it not only hampered IAEA's work, but also "a clear violation of international law," said ElBaradei.

ElBaradei also pointed out that the agency has repeatedly required Israel to cooperate with the agency's investigation by providing sufficient evidence to prove Syria is developing nuclear weapons in that facility.

Israel has not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons yet.

In September 2007, Israel sent fighters to bomb an establishment in Syria, and claimed that Syria was developing nuclear weapons there, but Syria firmly denied. The IAEA has carried out investigations on it, but has reached no final conclusion so far.

Source: Xinhua