Kharazi: World Should Pressure Israel to Disarm
January 03, 2004
The Associated Press
Herb Keinon
The world should put pressure on Israel to forsake nuclear weapons, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Saturday in Damascus. "International pressure should be applied to Israel to eradicate its weapons of mass destruction, as this would be in the interest of the whole region," Kharrazi said.
He was speaking to reporters after holding talks with President Bashar Assad. Syria has proposed that the UN Security Council should declare the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons. The Security Council is divided on the question of taking up Syria's proposal.
The feeling in Jerusalem is that despite what is sure to be pressure from the Arab countries to focus world attention on Israel's nuclear program, it is unlikely to gain much traction because "the US won't sign on."
However, just as the Arabs succeeded in throwing the fence issue to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Israel must prepare itself diplomatically to "fend off coordinated offensive to push Israel into the corner" on this matter, one source said.
Israel's official position on nuclear arms is that it will not be the first to introduce them to the region.
Recently government officials have added to this nearly four-decade old mantra the statement that weapons of mass destruction in and of themselves don't cause harm if they are in the hands of countries with democratic regimes, and that they are dangerous in the hands of rogue regimes with radical ideology and no proper checks and balances.
The United States has accused Syria of seeking weapons of mass destruction, in particular chemical weapons. Syria has denied the charge.
Iran has also been accused by the United States of seeking to build a nuclear bomb. Iran says its nuclear program is entirely for the generation of power. Last month it signed an agreement granting UN. inspectors the right to conduct surprise inspections of its facilities.
With reporting by and The Associated Press
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1073114052196&p=1008596981749"...put pressure on Israel to forsake nuclear weapons, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said"
Hey, they're just making eletricity......like you.