Yukiya Amano said that US and Cuban representatives disagreed about such risks, but their exact opinions could not be revealed because they spoke at a private meeting of the agency's board of governors.
He said his agency would be unable to fulfill Russia's request for such an assessment within the week.
It is a very `complicated issue` that `takes time,` he said, adding that it was important for the agency to listen to the opinions of other member states, so he was unable to tell `our Russian friends` when a reply would be provided.
Vladimir Voronkov, Russia's permanent envoy to international agencies in Vienna, said Monday that he expected a reply to the request by the end of the week.
"We stressed that it is an urgent matter and called on the IAEA general director and the agency to act without delay," Voronkov said. The board of governors` meeting is expected to last through Friday.
On Thursday, the Russian Foreign Ministry urged the IAEA secretariat to evaluate nuclear risks of a US strike on the miniature neutron source reactor near Damascus and other nuclear facilities in Syria.)*_
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
