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IAEA head Mohammed ElBaradei. (AP)
Last update - 05:09 30/09/2008
Israel slams fresh Arab move to isolate it at IAEA
By News Agencies
Tags: nuclear, IAEA, Iran 

Israel on Monday condemned the renewed Iranian-backed Arab effort to isolate it at a UN atomic watchdog assembly. Arab League states prepared to table a resolution called "Israel's nuclear capabilities" urging all Middle East states not to test or develop atom bombs and not to stand in the way of a regional nuclear-free zone.

The Arab states shelved a similar measure at the annual conference of 145 International Atomic Energy Agency member states a year ago.

But resentment continues to fester over inaction regarding what is assumed to be the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal in Israel, which critics say causes an imbalance of power and spurs adversaries in an unstable region to seek nuclear weaponry.
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Israel, which has called the Arab move "substantially unwarranted and flawed", filed a motion on Monday for it to be struck off the IAEA General Conference agenda.

The measure is expected to be considered later this week.

"Among sponsors of this draft resolution are states which openly do not recognize the state of Israel and even call for its annihilation," Israel Atomic Energy Commission Director Shaul Chorev said, alluding to Iran.

"What is the moral standing of sponsors of this agenda item who do not recognise Israel's right to exist while criticizing Israeli policies aiming at securing its very existence?"

Chorev said Israel, along with India and Pakistan outside the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, "possesses advanced nuclear expertise".

But he said some countries had been developing atomic bomb capability despite being members of the NPT. He was alluding to Iran and Syria, the subjects of special IAEA investigations.

Iran and Syria both deny pursuing nuclear weapons or hiding any activity from IAEA non-proliferation inspectors.

Chorev said Israel had long backed a Middle East free of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction in principle.

"But this cannot be advanced out of context. It can only emerge gradually from a process of mutual acceptance, reconciliation and lasting peace, followed by more confidence building measures and modest arms control measures."

Iranian envoy Ali Asghar Soltanieh condemned the "shameful silence" of Israel's Western allies about its nuclear exclusivity and said this "left no doubt about the urgent need for reform in the United Nations".

IAEA head urges Tehran to end nuclear secrecy
Earlier on Monday, the chief UN nuclear inspector said a six-year probe has not ruled out the possibility that Iran may be running clandestine nuclear programs, and urged Iran to reassure the world by ending its secretive ways.

Europe also urged Tehran to fully cooperate with a UN probe that is trying to assess all of its past and present nuclear activities. An EU statement on the opening session Monday at the International Atomic Energy Agency's 145-nation conference declared: The international community cannot accept the prospect of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

Iran, along with ally Syria, figures directly at the Vienna conference because they are among four nations seeking their geographic region's nomination for a seat on the IAEA's decision-making 35-nation board.

Iran's bid is strategic. Tehran is running to counteract a U.S. push to have Afghanistan or Kazakhstan elected over Syria, which is under IAEA investigation for allegedly hiding a secret nuclear program, including a nearly completed plutonium producing reactor destroyed last year by Israel.

If the regional group does not agree on a candidate, the conference will be asked to vote on which nation should take the board seat.

In his opening speech, chief UN nuclear inspector Mohammed ElBaradei, the head of the IAEA, focused on Iran's refusal to suspend its uranium enrichment program and alleged past plans to develop the bomb.

The UN Security Council approved a resolution Saturday critical of Tehran's defiance on uranium enrichment, which can create both nuclear fuel and the fissile core of warheads.

Urging Iran to implement all transparency measures required to build confidence in the exclusively peaceful nature of its nuclear program, ElBaradei declared: "This will be good for Iran, good for the Middle East region and good for the world."

He also warned the session that his organization is increasingly stretched in trying to carry out responsibilities that include nonproliferation and preventing terrorists from acquiring the bomb.

"All is not well with the IAEA," ElBaradei declared, appealing for greater financial support and more authority for his agency.

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      1.   Let Israel end Nuclear secrecy 18:23  |  Ismail 29/09/08
      2.   Typical Israel bashing by one-sided UN 19:07  |  Ehud 29/09/08
      3.   ALL of a sudden, iran is being secretive? 19:26  |  Arie 29/09/08
      4.   Depends on who is claiming! 19:52  |  Persian Hero 29/09/08
      5.   Hand the forge documents to Iran 20:25  |  Fahim 29/09/08
      6.   Is He For Real? 20:26  |  Cool B 29/09/08
      7.   Persian Hero 20:30  |  Jane 29/09/08
      8.   It`s the United Nations telling iran #4 20:42  |  Johnny 29/09/08
      9.   Pleading before the "Showdown".. 21:06  |  Stephen. 29/09/08
      10.   Addendum 21:07  |  Fahim 29/09/08
      11.   Israel "do what we say, not..." 22:00  |  jc 29/09/08
      12.   #4 Persian Hero 22:04  |  Moshe 29/09/08
      13.   Persian.....How do you actually know 22:07  |  Lynn 29/09/08
      14.   Only Israel and Iran seem to have secret nuclear programs 22:13  |  Natallie Durson 29/09/08
      15.   #1 Ismail....Muslim aggression is much worse 22:15  |  Lynn 29/09/08
      16.   #1 Ismail 22:41  |  Moshe 29/09/08
      17.   time to stop being nice 22:45  |  Zachary 29/09/08
      18.   Disarm the Muslim Nation 22:52  |  Baruch Gold 29/09/08
      19.   Arab Move: Let`s Disarm the Victim! 23:05  |  Brad 29/09/08
      20.   Are you all kidding? 23:09  |  Z 29/09/08
      21.   What?? Repsonse to #15 23:37  |  sick of the lies 29/09/08
      22.   The President of Iran is no hostis humanitatis, so what? 23:39  |  Fritz T. 29/09/08
      23.   Jane from Orlando #7 00:22  |  Persian Kitty 30/09/08
      24.   Hey Arabs 00:26  |  Dan 30/09/08
      25.   Semantics 00:27  |  rigma 30/09/08
      26.   #1 Ismail 00:35  |  Robert 30/09/08
      27.   What does IAEA REALLY stand for 01:10  |  Arie 30/09/08
      28.   Marvelous propaganda.... 01:54  |  Johnboy 30/09/08
      29.   Well put Dan #24 01:56  |  Johnny 30/09/08
      30.   # What`s the matter LYNN? Israel on IAEA agenda? 02:06  |  Maureen Ann 30/09/08
      31.   the WORLD is falling APART 04:12  |  VIPER 30/09/08
      32.   #15, LYNN, a pathetic attempt 04:16  |  VIPER 30/09/08
      33.   #30, MAUREEN ANN, your kidding right? 04:20  |  VIPER 30/09/08
      34.   #Viper. No, I`m not kidding. 05:38  |  Maureen Ann 30/09/08
      35.   Viper 06:27  |  Jane 30/09/08
      36.   Confused 06:59  |  Dave Duncan 30/09/08
      37.   re 31 I want names 07:16  |  alan the real one 30/09/08
      38.   Persian Hero (#4) But we didn`t 08:27  |  Gil 30/09/08
      39.   Persian Hero (#4) But we didn`t 08:28  |  Gil 30/09/08
      40.   $28 johnboy PLAYS his usual SHELL GAME 09:05  |  CK Tan 30/09/08
      41.   RE: Persian Hero 09:08  |  PERSIAN AMERICAN 30/09/08
      42.   Also the Nazis and America had secret nuclear planes 10:06  |  Israeli citizen 30/09/08
      43.   More outrageous Israeli chutzpah 10:08  |  Clickfool 30/09/08
      44.   Israel needs to be stripped of WMD`s. 13:08  |  Jens 30/09/08
      45.   Israel a democracy?? Are you kidding me?? 14:04  |  Omar the Palestinian 30/09/08
      46.   #24 Dan.... Dreamer 14:15  |  Omar the Palestinain 30/09/08
      47.   # 19: Brad 14:28  |  Jane 30/09/08
      48.   Why Bother? Ignore all UN Related BS 17:08  |  Jane 30/09/08
      49.   #21 sick of the lies 17:13  |  Lynn 30/09/08
      50.   Nearly every diplomatic move Arab states take appear to ilustrate 17:25  |  Avihu 30/09/08
      51.   IAEA attempts to Isolate Israel are OK ..... 17:29  |  Gary 30/09/08
      52.   It never fails the hypocrites in Israel dictating to others 17:51  |  Dutch 30/09/08
      53.   You understand Omar`s POV #26 17:51  |  x-ray 30/09/08
      54.   You understand Omar`s POV #26 17:51  |  x-ray 30/09/08
      55.   Jane writing about Palestinians 17:53  |  x-ray 30/09/08
      56.   It has been much longer that the Arabs, Avihu, 50, objected to 19:45  |  Udi 30/09/08
      57.   Jane from Orlando 19:46  |  Wondering 30/09/08
      58.   Hey Jane, when does Israel leave the UN then? 00:22  |  BBSNews 01/10/08
      59.   to 41: PERSIAN AMERICAN 01:15  |  BigBird 01/10/08
      60.   Wondering 01:16  |  Jane 01/10/08
      61.   this is a response to ismail 03:40  |  Jonathan 01/10/08
      62.   Iran Stupidity 04:00  |  Abe