A senior U.S. senator is calling on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to investigate reports that Burma is working with North Korea to develop a nuclear program.
Jim Webb canceled a planned visit to Burma last week because of the allegations from the Norway-based group, Democratic Voice of Burma. That group says an army major who defected from Burma worked on the nuclear program and brought documents supporting his claim.
The United Nations' nuclear agency said Monday it is assessing the report and, if necessary, will "seek clarification" from Burma.
Webb also called on the Obama administration to appoint a special envoy to Burma. He recommended Eric John, who currently is the ambassador to Thailand.
Webb is the chair of the East Asia subcommittee of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
He traveled to Burma last year, holding talks with military leader Senior General Than Shwe and securing the release of John Yettaw, an American man who swam uninvited to the lakeside Rangoon home of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Yettaw had been sentenced to seven years in prison for secretly visiting the opposition leader.