. Last Spring, Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state and Washington's chief nuclear arms negotiator, asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel refused.

2. The United Nations passed a resolution calling on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

3. The IAEA asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

4. Iran's formal notification to the IAEA of the planned construction of the backup fuel-rod facility underscores that Iran is playing by the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which Iran has signed.

5. Iran allows IAEA inspections of all its facilities.

6. Contrary to face-saving claims, it appears that the US and Israel were both caught off guard by Iran's announcement of a planned underground (to avoid being bombed) enrichment facility. The reasoning is simple. Had the US or Israel announced the existence of he new facility before Iran's notified the IAEA, it would have put Iran on the defensive. As it is now, the US and Israel seem to be playing catch up, casting doubt on the veracity of Israel's claims to "know" that Iran is a nuclear threat.

7. The IAEA and all 16 United States Intelligence Agencies are unanimous in agreement that Iran is not building and does not possess nuclear weapons.

8. In 1986, Mordachai Vanunu blew the whistle and provided photographs showing Israel's clandestine nuclear weapons factory underneath the reactor at Dimona.

9. Israel made the same accusations against Iraq that it is making against Iran, leading up to Israel's bombing of the power station at Osirik. Following the invasion of 2003, international experts examined the ruins of the power station at Osirik and found no evidence of a clandestine weapons factory in the rubble.

10. The United Nations has just released the Goldstone Report, a scathing report which accuses Israel of 37 specific war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza earlier this year. Israel has denounced the report as "Anti-Semitic (even though Judge Goldstone is himself Jewish), and the United States will block the report from being referred to the War Crimes Tribunal at the Hague, thereby making the US Government an accessory after-the-fact.

11. Recently revealed documents prove not only that Israel has nuclear weapos, but actually tried to sell some to Apartheid South Africa. Who else Israel approached to sell nuclear weapons remains an unasked question.

12. In 1965, Israel stole over 200-600 pounds of weapons-grade uranium from the United States.

13. Declassified documents from the former South African regime prove not only that Israel has had nuclear weapons for decades, but has tried to sell them to other countries!

We all need to be Joe Wilson right now. We need to stand up and scream, "LIAR!" at every politician and every talking media moron that is pushing this war in Iran. And we need to keep dong it until they get the message that we will not be deceived any more.

Israel wants to send your kids off to die in Iran, and YOU are the only one that can stop them.

Please forward this comment to your social networks.


http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/IranvIsrael.php

actually Plame and Wilson were the Liars!


and sure glad that your "News" are current!
Stop stirring the Poop with old Socalled News!


Funny that all your "News" come from antisemitic Conspiracy-Sites!


And @5,Iran does WHAT?

Mr Conrad please keep your comments to facts that is what this thread is about.

I do not think posting what you think you heard on Fox news deserves to be in this thread.

Lets stick with facts and facts only.

No propaganda and no spin jobs.

Facts,at your cited Sites!


Besides Iran has violated it's Obligations under the Treaty!
It's Signature is worth about as much as Hitler's was in '38!

This is a good example of a fact.

1. Last Spring, Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state and Washington's chief nuclear arms negotiator, asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel refused.


Washington negotiator calls on Israel to sign nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

A diplomatic row broke out today between the US and Israel after Washington's chief nuclear arms negotiator called on Israel to sign the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), breaking a US tradition of discretion over Israel's nuclear arsenal.

Israeli officials said they were puzzled by a speech to an international conference in New York by Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state, who said: "Universal adherence to the NPT itself - including by India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea - also remains a fundamental objective of the United States."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/may/06/israel-us-nuclear-non-proliferation

Here are your Facts!


US, Russia and UK back Israel at Mideast meeting
By GEORGE JAHN
Associated Press
2011-11-22 09:50 PM

Fonts Size A+
Printer-Friendly Printer


Syrian Arab Republic Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Bassam Sabbagh leaves the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
In a boost to Israel, Russia joined the U.S. and Britain on Tuesday in backing the Jewish state's view that the Middle East cannot be turned into a nuclear arms-free zone without progress on regional peace.

The three nations _ who are charged with registering new members to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty _ also blunted Arab efforts to get them involved creating such a zone, telling an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting that was the sole responsibility of countries in the region.

The three-nation statement was made at a rare venue _ a meeting bringing Israel and the Arab states together for a discussion of how to work toward establishing a Mideast nuclear-arms free zone. While nearly 100 nations attended the forum, it was primarily meant to allow those two opposing camps to exchange views on the issue _ one of many dividing Israel from its Arab neighbors.

Organizers had warned against high expectations, and officials at the closed two-day meeting said it ended Friday without bridging the differences.

"This was a small positive step," said Norwegian Ambassador Jan Petersen, who chaired the gathering, acknowledging "there is a very, very long way ahead" to reach the goal of a Mideast nuclear-weapons free zone.

"There are a lot of difficult issues, which will have to be tackled," he told reporters.

Still the three-nation statement was significant. Russia is traditionally in the Arab corner and Moscow's decision to join Washington and London in the joint statement of support for Israel's view was a rare nod from Moscow recognizing Israel's security concerns.

"While Nuclear Weapon-Free zones improve the security of the entire international community, they do not exist in isolation from other security factors," said the statement which was shared with The Associated Press. Any such zone, it said must see "the states in the region united in their aspiration to provide for strengthened regional stability and security."

That dovetails with Israel's view that peace must prevail in the Middle East before it can be made into a nuclear free zone. But it clashes with the Arab position that the two issues are separate.

The Arabs say Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal represents the biggest threat to Mideast peace. But Israel says Iran is the greatest threat to the region through its refusal to heed U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding it stop activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons and suspected research and development of such capabilities. Tehran denies any interest in such arms.

Iran boycotted the meeting. But a decision last year by the 189 members of the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty to convene a U.N.-sponsored conference on establishing a Middle East nuclear-free zone in 2012 was an incentive for Israel's Arab neighbors to come to the exploratory Vienna talks _ even if there are no formal links between the two.

"Hopefully, we were able to identify quite a lot of issues which will be useful" at that conference, Petersen said.

Arab countries and Iran are aware of the potential of using the 2012 U.N. conference as a platform to pressure Israel to fulfill their long-standing demands: joining the nonproliferation treaty, acknowledging that it has nuclear weapons and allowing IAEA inspectors to probe its atomic activities.

Israel is unlikely to do any of that. It remains unclear whether it will even attend the 2012 talks and came to the Vienna meeting only under the stipulation that it remain a nonbinding give-and-take on the issue of nuclear-free zones in general.

Petersen noted that international pressure on Iran had grown since a Nov. 8 IAEA report that was the most thorough to date on backing up suspicions that Tehran is conducting research and development of nuclear arms.

"They have one more question to answer now," he said about Iran's decision to stay away. "I don't think it was particularly helpful to their cause.

The three-nation statement also sought to put into context the value of the meeting _ which featured presentations on nuclear-free zones elsewhere.

It said "zones free of nuclear weapons cannot be created counter to the will of the countries of the region by the efforts of extra-regional powers or international organizations." That was an rebuttal of an Arab push to get powers that are members of the Nonproliferation Treaty involved in creating a Mideast nuclear-free region.

Participants said most speakers avoided polemics. But on Monday, Syria">Syria _ among Israel's bitterest Mideast rivals _ used the gathering to accuse Israel of posing a "grave and serious threat" through its undeclared atomic arsenal.

Israel, for its part, restated its view: no discussions on a nuclear-free zone without peace in the Middle East.

"Experience shows that such a process can only be launched when normal, peaceful relations exist in the region, when the threat perception of all regional members is low, and only after basic confidence is established among states of the region," David Danieli, Israel's deputy nuclear chief, said in comments provided to the AP.

For now, he said, "political instability, open hostilities, deep mistrust and noncompliance with international obligations are too common in many parts of the Middle East."


http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1767602


Besides,what about India and Pakistan?

From your Threads and posts one has to conclude that you have singled out Israel,and have it in for her!

This topic is about Israel Mr conrad if you wish to discuss another country feel free to start another thread.

3. The IAEA asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.



IAEA urges Israel to allow nuclear inspection


International Atomic Energy Agency says Jerusalem must join Non-Proliferation Treaty, allow it to monitor its facilities. Iranian ambassador hails decision as 'triumph'; 'Israel will not cooperate with this resolution,' says Atomic Energy Commission official

Reuters

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3778884,00.html

Here are your Facts!laughing


US, Russia and UK back Israel at Mideast meeting
By GEORGE JAHN
Associated Press
2011-11-22 09:50 PM

Fonts Size A+
Printer-Friendly Printer


Syrian Arab Republic Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Bassam Sabbagh leaves the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
In a boost to Israel, Russia joined the U.S. and Britain on Tuesday in backing the Jewish state's view that the Middle East cannot be turned into a nuclear arms-free zone without progress on regional peace.

The three nations _ who are charged with registering new members to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty _ also blunted Arab efforts to get them involved creating such a zone, telling an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting that was the sole responsibility of countries in the region.

The three-nation statement was made at a rare venue _ a meeting bringing Israel and the Arab states together for a discussion of how to work toward establishing a Mideast nuclear-arms free zone. While nearly 100 nations attended the forum, it was primarily meant to allow those two opposing camps to exchange views on the issue _ one of many dividing Israel from its Arab neighbors.

Organizers had warned against high expectations, and officials at the closed two-day meeting said it ended Friday without bridging the differences.

"This was a small positive step," said Norwegian Ambassador Jan Petersen, who chaired the gathering, acknowledging "there is a very, very long way ahead" to reach the goal of a Mideast nuclear-weapons free zone.

"There are a lot of difficult issues, which will have to be tackled," he told reporters.

Still the three-nation statement was significant. Russia is traditionally in the Arab corner and Moscow's decision to join Washington and London in the joint statement of support for Israel's view was a rare nod from Moscow recognizing Israel's security concerns.

"While Nuclear Weapon-Free zones improve the security of the entire international community, they do not exist in isolation from other security factors," said the statement which was shared with The Associated Press. Any such zone, it said must see "the states in the region united in their aspiration to provide for strengthened regional stability and security."

That dovetails with Israel's view that peace must prevail in the Middle East before it can be made into a nuclear free zone. But it clashes with the Arab position that the two issues are separate.

The Arabs say Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal represents the biggest threat to Mideast peace. But Israel says Iran is the greatest threat to the region through its refusal to heed U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding it stop activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons and suspected research and development of such capabilities. Tehran denies any interest in such arms.

Iran boycotted the meeting. But a decision last year by the 189 members of the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty to convene a U.N.-sponsored conference on establishing a Middle East nuclear-free zone in 2012 was an incentive for Israel's Arab neighbors to come to the exploratory Vienna talks _ even if there are no formal links between the two.

"Hopefully, we were able to identify quite a lot of issues which will be useful" at that conference, Petersen said.

Arab countries and Iran are aware of the potential of using the 2012 U.N. conference as a platform to pressure Israel to fulfill their long-standing demands: joining the nonproliferation treaty, acknowledging that it has nuclear weapons and allowing IAEA inspectors to probe its atomic activities.

Israel is unlikely to do any of that. It remains unclear whether it will even attend the 2012 talks and came to the Vienna meeting only under the stipulation that it remain a nonbinding give-and-take on the issue of nuclear-free zones in general.

Petersen noted that international pressure on Iran had grown since a Nov. 8 IAEA report that was the most thorough to date on backing up suspicions that Tehran is conducting research and development of nuclear arms.

"They have one more question to answer now," he said about Iran's decision to stay away. "I don't think it was particularly helpful to their cause.

The three-nation statement also sought to put into context the value of the meeting _ which featured presentations on nuclear-free zones elsewhere.

It said "zones free of nuclear weapons cannot be created counter to the will of the countries of the region by the efforts of extra-regional powers or international organizations." That was an rebuttal of an Arab push to get powers that are members of the Nonproliferation Treaty involved in creating a Mideast nuclear-free region.

Participants said most speakers avoided polemics. But on Monday, Syria">Syria _ among Israel's bitterest Mideast rivals _ used the gathering to accuse Israel of posing a "grave and serious threat" through its undeclared atomic arsenal.

Israel, for its part, restated its view: no discussions on a nuclear-free zone without peace in the Middle East.

"Experience shows that such a process can only be launched when normal, peaceful relations exist in the region, when the threat perception of all regional members is low, and only after basic confidence is established among states of the region," David Danieli, Israel's deputy nuclear chief, said in comments provided to the AP.

For now, he said, "political instability, open hostilities, deep mistrust and noncompliance with international obligations are too common in many parts of the Middle East."


http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1767602


Besides,what about India and Pakistan?

From your Threads and posts one has to conclude that you have singled out Israel,and have it in for her!
your incessant ranting about one Country,Israel,makes you not particularly credible at all!

4. Iran's formal notification to the IAEA of the planned construction of the backup fuel-rod facility underscores that Iran is playing by the rules of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty which Iran has signed.

Western leaders reacted with a combination of indignation and outrage today when the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) revealed that Iran had informed them it was in the process of constructing a second uranium enrichment facility.

Several officials used the revelation as a call to action against the Iranian government, just days before six-party talks with the nation about its civilian nuclear program. But despite a flurry of claims that the West had uncovered the “secret” facility it seems unclear that Iran actually did anything wrong.

The IAEA only actually requires that it be informed six months before an enrichment facility comes online, and the new site is at least that far from completion. Nuclear material has not been added, and the IAEA says that the data they’ve been given suggests that as with the existing Nanatz facility, the new site is only designed to enrich uranium to 5%, useful for energy production at the nation’s Bushehr power plant but not for military purposes.
http://news.antiwar.com/2009/09/25/as-required-iran-informs-iaea-about-new-enrichment-site/

Interesting,in the light of all the Sanctions by the west on Iran for non-Compliance!

But you wouldn't want Conspiracy-Sites to Factor that in,now would you?
The whole conspiracy would fall into Heavy Water!

Disupute it mr conrad, I dont care for your opinion just the facts.

1.3 million Iraqis were slaughtered because of a pack of lies.

When oh When is America going to put down the mad dog that is Israel.

80 Million Iranians need protecting from Americas Biggest and Nuclear Armed Puppet State.

America is probably the safest country on the planet and it's people are scared....scared of the wrong people....your government whores and their paymasters are the ones you should be scared of.

No need to replace Obama...get rid of the paymasters.

A new election is a distraction...political whores are a $Million dollars a dozen


Why would any country want to attack Iran?

Iran is not a threat.

Israel is the problem in the ME mainly because it continues to punish the Palestinians for what happened 65 years ago

Settle Palestine world a safer place.

Iran goes Nuclear and Israel has nuclear so neither will attack

you mean,your "Facts"?


"Facts" like you find on those Conspiracy-Sites of yours?
How come there are Sanctions against Iran,since they are complying with the Commission?
Or is there something you ain't telling us?

Playing the Casualty-Shellgame again?


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Iraq_War

Any country can pass sanctions Mr Conrad but the trick is are they legaly based sanctions or just a group of countries trying to justify another invasion?

We had sanctions against Iraq for the same and guesse what? we were wrong there. We havent learned a thing since the last con game have we?

oh joy wont another war be so grand Mr conrad? Gas prices can tripple and tripple again! it will be so good for everybody! We can even borrow more money!

I hope it doesn't come to a war!
Don't know what gives you the Idea that I do!
But I am sitting much closer to Iran than you'll ever be,and I don't relish the thought to be used as a Burnt sacrifice to usher in the 12th Imam!

I think we all would be toast since israel feels free to blackmail the world with its sampson option.
The Samson Option is a term used to describe Israel’s alleged deterrence strategy of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons as a “last resort” against nations whose military attacks threaten its existencehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Option


More....
Van Creveld was quoted in David Hirst's "The Gun and the Olive Branch" (2003) as saying:

"We possess several hundred atomic warheads and rockets and can launch them at targets in all directions, perhaps even at Rome. Most European capitals are targets for our air force. Let me quote General Moshe Dayan: 'Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother.' I consider it all hopeless at this point. We shall have to try to prevent things from coming to that, if at all possible. Our armed forces, however, are not the thirtieth strongest in the world, but rather the second or third. We have the capability to take the world down with us. And I can assure you that that will happen before Israel goes under.[20]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samson_Option

Now imagine if Iran said something like this. Stop eating all the propaganda your not makeing it easy for reasone to prevail, the stakes are to high mr Conrad to be uninformed.

You got that right!
Remember the Old Soviet-Union?
Those were the ones that were specifically targeted!
Why?
Because of their Mid-Eastern Proxies!


Actually the same Strategy as the other Nuclear powers employ,but since it is Israel employing the same,people are crapping all over!

You ought to thank the German SS for what they unleashed in Waraw back in the Forties!


The Samson Option is a term used to describe Israel’s alleged deterrence strategy of massive retaliation with nuclear weapons as a “last resort” against nations whose military attacks threaten its existence, and possibly against other targets as well.[1] Israel refuses to admit it has nuclear weapons or to describe how it would use them, an official policy of nuclear ambiguity, also known as "nuclear opacity." This has made it difficult for anyone outside the Israeli government to definitively describe its true nuclear policy,


When the Jews today say,Never again,they mean Never again!
Take that to the Bank!

3. The IAEA asked Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to submit to inspections. Israel refused.

ain't Squat you can do about!

US, Russia and UK back Israel at Mideast meeting
By GEORGE JAHN
Associated Press
2011-11-22 09:50 PM

Fonts Size A+
Printer-Friendly Printer


Syrian Arab Republic Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, Bassam Sabbagh leaves the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak) Jan Petersen, Norwegian Ambassador to the IAEA and chairperson of the forum on creating a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East, speaks during a news conference after a meeting at the International Center, in Vienna, Austria, Tuesday, Nov 22, 2011. (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
In a boost to Israel, Russia joined the U.S. and Britain on Tuesday in backing the Jewish state's view that the Middle East cannot be turned into a nuclear arms-free zone without progress on regional peace.

The three nations _ who are charged with registering new members to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty _ also blunted Arab efforts to get them involved creating such a zone, telling an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting that was the sole responsibility of countries in the region.

The three-nation statement was made at a rare venue _ a meeting bringing Israel and the Arab states together for a discussion of how to work toward establishing a Mideast nuclear-arms free zone. While nearly 100 nations attended the forum, it was primarily meant to allow those two opposing camps to exchange views on the issue _ one of many dividing Israel from its Arab neighbors.

Organizers had warned against high expectations, and officials at the closed two-day meeting said it ended Friday without bridging the differences.

"This was a small positive step," said Norwegian Ambassador Jan Petersen, who chaired the gathering, acknowledging "there is a very, very long way ahead" to reach the goal of a Mideast nuclear-weapons free zone.

"There are a lot of difficult issues, which will have to be tackled," he told reporters.

Still the three-nation statement was significant. Russia is traditionally in the Arab corner and Moscow's decision to join Washington and London in the joint statement of support for Israel's view was a rare nod from Moscow recognizing Israel's security concerns.

"While Nuclear Weapon-Free zones improve the security of the entire international community, they do not exist in isolation from other security factors," said the statement which was shared with The Associated Press. Any such zone, it said must see "the states in the region united in their aspiration to provide for strengthened regional stability and security."

That dovetails with Israel's view that peace must prevail in the Middle East before it can be made into a nuclear free zone. But it clashes with the Arab position that the two issues are separate.

The Arabs say Israel's undeclared nuclear arsenal represents the biggest threat to Mideast peace. But Israel says Iran is the greatest threat to the region through its refusal to heed U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding it stop activities that could be used to make nuclear weapons and suspected research and development of such capabilities. Tehran denies any interest in such arms.

Iran boycotted the meeting. But a decision last year by the 189 members of the Nuclear Nonproliferation treaty to convene a U.N.-sponsored conference on establishing a Middle East nuclear-free zone in 2012 was an incentive for Israel's Arab neighbors to come to the exploratory Vienna talks _ even if there are no formal links between the two.

"Hopefully, we were able to identify quite a lot of issues which will be useful" at that conference, Petersen said.

Arab countries and Iran are aware of the potential of using the 2012 U.N. conference as a platform to pressure Israel to fulfill their long-standing demands: joining the nonproliferation treaty, acknowledging that it has nuclear weapons and allowing IAEA inspectors to probe its atomic activities.

Israel is unlikely to do any of that. It remains unclear whether it will even attend the 2012 talks and came to the Vienna meeting only under the stipulation that it remain a nonbinding give-and-take on the issue of nuclear-free zones in general.

Petersen noted that international pressure on Iran had grown since a Nov. 8 IAEA report that was the most thorough to date on backing up suspicions that Tehran is conducting research and development of nuclear arms.

"They have one more question to answer now," he said about Iran's decision to stay away. "I don't think it was particularly helpful to their cause.

The three-nation statement also sought to put into context the value of the meeting _ which featured presentations on nuclear-free zones elsewhere.

It said "zones free of nuclear weapons cannot be created counter to the will of the countries of the region by the efforts of extra-regional powers or international organizations." That was an rebuttal of an Arab push to get powers that are members of the Nonproliferation Treaty involved in creating a Mideast nuclear-free region.

Participants said most speakers avoided polemics. But on Monday, Syria">Syria _ among Israel's bitterest Mideast rivals _ used the gathering to accuse Israel of posing a "grave and serious threat" through its undeclared atomic arsenal.

Israel, for its part, restated its view: no discussions on a nuclear-free zone without peace in the Middle East.

"Experience shows that such a process can only be launched when normal, peaceful relations exist in the region, when the threat perception of all regional members is low, and only after basic confidence is established among states of the region," David Danieli, Israel's deputy nuclear chief, said in comments provided to the AP.

For now, he said, "political instability, open hostilities, deep mistrust and noncompliance with international obligations are too common in many parts of the Middle East."


http://www.taiwannews.com.tw/etn/news_content.php?id=1767602