Wizdom
05-09-03, 07:47
U.S. to seek IAEA action on Israel nukes
From Elise Labott
CNN
Friday, September 5, 2003 Posted: 2:25 AM EDT (0625 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story Tools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELATED
Interactive: Israel's nuclear sites
• Council on Foreign Relations: Israel's nuclear weapons
• IAEA
• IAEA: Israel nukes 'still a concern'
• Report: Traces of enriched uranium found
• Protests keep heat on Israel leaders
• Israel MPs slam Bush 'interference'
• Israel's knack for humiliating U.S. presidents
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration will push the International Atomic Energy Agency next week to take action against Israel over its nuclear program, the State Department said Thursday.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "we certainly think that the board of governors at the IAEA needs to look closely at the (Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's) report on Israel, needs to look closely at the situation on Israel, and needs to take appropriate action."
Boucher's comments come ahead of the IAEA's Board of Governor's meeting in Vienna September 8, where concerns over Israel's nuclear program are expected to be a major part of the discussions.
"The Board can take action of various kinds to focus on the matter," Boucher said, without elaborating what those actions should include.
One move the United Nations organization could make is to issue a resolution accusing Israel of non-compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would trigger a report to the U.N. Security Council.
The United States has been urging other governments to press the IAEA to report Israel's non-compliance, including Tel Aviv's refusal to submit its nuclear program to intrusive inspections by the IAEA.
The United States has accused Israel of secretly developing a nuclear weapons program. Israel insists that its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at producing 6,000 megawatts of electricity, an amount it says will be needed in the country in 20 years time.
From Elise Labott
CNN
Friday, September 5, 2003 Posted: 2:25 AM EDT (0625 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Story Tools
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RELATED
Interactive: Israel's nuclear sites
• Council on Foreign Relations: Israel's nuclear weapons
• IAEA
• IAEA: Israel nukes 'still a concern'
• Report: Traces of enriched uranium found
• Protests keep heat on Israel leaders
• Israel MPs slam Bush 'interference'
• Israel's knack for humiliating U.S. presidents
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Bush administration will push the International Atomic Energy Agency next week to take action against Israel over its nuclear program, the State Department said Thursday.
State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said "we certainly think that the board of governors at the IAEA needs to look closely at the (Director General Mohamed ElBaradei's) report on Israel, needs to look closely at the situation on Israel, and needs to take appropriate action."
Boucher's comments come ahead of the IAEA's Board of Governor's meeting in Vienna September 8, where concerns over Israel's nuclear program are expected to be a major part of the discussions.
"The Board can take action of various kinds to focus on the matter," Boucher said, without elaborating what those actions should include.
One move the United Nations organization could make is to issue a resolution accusing Israel of non-compliance with its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, which would trigger a report to the U.N. Security Council.
The United States has been urging other governments to press the IAEA to report Israel's non-compliance, including Tel Aviv's refusal to submit its nuclear program to intrusive inspections by the IAEA.
The United States has accused Israel of secretly developing a nuclear weapons program. Israel insists that its nuclear program is peaceful and aimed at producing 6,000 megawatts of electricity, an amount it says will be needed in the country in 20 years time.