Arab states condemn Israel's nuclear arsenal at IAEA conference
Sunday, 23 September 2007
BEIRUT, Sept 22 (AP): Arab nations condemned Israel for having nuclear weapons Friday, the final day of a general conference of the UN watchdog International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Omani envoy Salim Mohammad al-Riyami presented the agenda item "Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat," saying there was concern over the "failure of the universality" of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) since Israel refuses to sign it.
Israel neither confirms nor denies it has nuclear weapons, although it is believed to have some 200 warheads.
"Israel still benefits from total freedom to develop its nuclear capacities," Riyami told the 144 member states of the IAEA.
Riyami had said in a document submitted along with the agenda item: "The policies of successive Israeli government have obstructed the peace process in the Middle East and all initiatives to free the region ... of weapons of mass destruction, and in particular of nuclear weapons, have failed."
The IAEA was also set to debate a resolution on safeguards, with Islamic nations pushing for changes in the text to target Israel for having nuclear weapons.
Egypt criticised the EU Friday for failing to support the IAEA resolution calling on all Middle East nations to renounce atomic weapons - a clear reference to Israel's undeclared arsenal.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry singled out EU states in its criticism for the lack of Western support for the nonbinding resolution, which highlighted Arab frustration about Israel's presumed nuclear might.
"The EU movement was a clear contradiction with the principles it claims to defend regarding nuclear disarmament and the prevention of nuclear proliferation," the official Middle East News Agency quoted a ministry statement as saying.
Omani envoy Salim Mohammad al-Riyami presented the agenda item "Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat," saying there was concern over the "failure of the universality" of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) since Israel refuses to sign it.
Israel neither confirms nor denies it has nuclear weapons, although it is believed to have some 200 warheads.
"Israel still benefits from total freedom to develop its nuclear capacities," Riyami told the 144 member states of the IAEA.
Riyami had said in a document submitted along with the agenda item: "The policies of successive Israeli government have obstructed the peace process in the Middle East and all initiatives to free the region ... of weapons of mass destruction, and in particular of nuclear weapons, have failed."
The IAEA was also set to debate a resolution on safeguards, with Islamic nations pushing for changes in the text to target Israel for having nuclear weapons.
Egypt criticised the EU Friday for failing to support the IAEA resolution calling on all Middle East nations to renounce atomic weapons - a clear reference to Israel's undeclared arsenal.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry singled out EU states in its criticism for the lack of Western support for the nonbinding resolution, which highlighted Arab frustration about Israel's presumed nuclear might.
"The EU movement was a clear contradiction with the principles it claims to defend regarding nuclear disarmament and the prevention of nuclear proliferation," the official Middle East News Agency quoted a ministry statement as saying.