Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said on Wednesday he was stunned by media reports that the UN nuclear watchdog had found atomic material on a site bombed by Israel last year.

"I am totally astounded that Arab media have been peddling such rumours," he told a news conference in Damascus.

"Such information hawked by anonymous diplomats even before International Atomic Energy Agency director general Mohamed ElBaradei has presented his report have the sole purpose of exerting pressure on Syria," Muallem said.

"This is a political question, not a technical one."

The International Atomic Energy Agency is probing allegations that Damascus had been building a clandestine nuclear facility at Al-Kibar, a remote desert area, until it was bombed by Israeli warplanes in September 2007.

Washington accuses the Syrians of building a Soviet-style nuclear complex at Al-Kibar with North Korean help.

Syria has denied the allegations as "ridiculous," saying the building was simply a disused military facility.

Damascus allowed a three-member IAEA team to visit the site in June but has refused any follow-up trips.

"We will await Mr ElBaradei's report before responding," Muallem said.

ElBaradei said in September that the IAEA was still evaluating samples taken from the site, but that inspectors had found "no indication" so far of any nuclear material.

But he also complained that Damascus had not yet responded to IAEA requests for additional access to individuals, sites and information.