BELGRADE, July 3 (Xinhua) -- Serbia and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) signed here on Friday an additional protocol to the agreement on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

    The protocol was signed by Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic and IAEA Director-general Mohamed El Baradei.

    Addressing a press conference after the signing ceremony, Djelic said that once the Serbian parliament ratifies the protocol, the IAEA would carry out detailed inspections across Serbia, similar to the ones that were made at Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences, which was founded in 1948 and lies some 17 km southeast of Belgrade.

    "Serbia is willing for the inspections to be carried out at any point in time anywhere in the country so that it is verified that it has no nuclear proliferation plans," said Djelic, adding that developing nuclear weapons was neither a policy of the former Yugoslavia nor of Serbia.

    He said that by signing the protocol, Serbia has shown that it is part of the international efforts for controlling the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

    Djelic said that one of the important subjects discussed with El Baradei was the transfer of used nuclear fuel from the research reactor at Vinca.

    He said that 23 million out of 25 million U.S. dollars necessary for the transfer of used nuclear fuel from the Vinca Institute of Nuclear Sciences have already been provided, adding that nuclear waste is expected to be sent to Russia by the end of 2010.

    In a 2009 report, IAEA officials said there were 8,030 used rods at Vinca Institute's spent fuel pool, only 2 km from the River Danube, stored in rusty and leaking containers.

    El Baradei voiced his satisfaction with the cooperation between Serbia and the IAEA.

    He said that the Vinca Institute has been posing a security threat for a while and therefore used nuclear fuel must be transferred to Russia as soon as possible.

    The two officials also discussed the possibility of using nuclear technologies for the development of science, agriculture and the protection of cultural heritage.

    El Baradei pointed to the importance of the usage of nuclear energy in medical diagnostics and therapy, particularly when it comes to cardiology and oncology, announcing that the IAEA will soon send an expert team to Serbia to estimate Serbia's needs concerning nuclear medicine.