NATO chief: Given Iran nukes, we can't ask Israel to disarm - Haaretz

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Last update - 00:07 07/10/2008

NATO chief: Given Iran nukes, we can't ask Israel to disarm

By Reuters

Tags: Nuclear, Israel News, NATO

NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said on Monday he was not certain the world can stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.

Scheffer told a conference in southeast France that given Iran's nuclear activities, said he would never expect Israel to abandon its own, "supposed nuclear arsenal". Israel is widely believed to have the Middle East's only nuclear weapons, but has never formally said so.

"As we all know, Israel never admits to what it has, but I do not see very many arguments for the Jewish state to abandon its potential," he said.

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Scheffer said that NATO did not have a direct role to play in the issue, but said he was worried that the United Nations had failed to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.

"It is a major challenge to prevent Iran from continuing to strive to get the bomb," Scheffer told a World Policy Conference organized by France's IFRI foreign affairs think tank.

"I am not positive about the world being able to stop Iran from fulfilling its ambitions," he added.

"My concern is that the Security Council, as we speak, is rather incapable of coming to further conclusions on further sanctions," Scheffer said.

Scheffer added that he was equally concerned about Iran's drive to develop its missile capabilities.

"What is as dangerous [as the nuclear program] is the missile technology which [Iran] is also developing at a fast pace," he said. "This becomes an element for the security of the United States and of course Europe.

Iran has a series of medium-range missiles, which experts say could target Israel. Tehran has also said it is working on long-range missiles.

Iran delivered a letter to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana later Monday which Tehran said stressed that pressure would not resolve the dispute over the Iranian nuclear program.

The letter was handed to Solana, who has represented six major powers in talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear program, by Iran's ambassador to the European Union, Solana's spokeswoman Cristina Gallach said.

"I do not know what is in the letter ... but the letter is now in the hands of Mr. Solana," she said.

Iranian media reported that the letter, from Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili to the foreign ministers of the six powers, said pressure would not resolve the nuclear issue.

Iran says its uranium-enrichment program is only for electricity generation, but is under United Nations' sanctions over past undeclared activity and its failure to prove its intentions are wholly peaceful.

The UN Security Council last month again ordered Iran to "comply fully and without delay" to demands it stop enrichment, but failed to introduce any new sanctions as sought by the United States and its Western European allies.

Related articles:

Iran - an attack is still possible

Iran: We won't halt enrichment even if nuclear fuel supply guaranteed

French FM to Haaretz: Israel will act before Iran gets bomb

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1.	Only Ben Jabo Ben Tize can prevent Iran from becoming nuclear	15:39	\|	Aounist	06/10/08

2.	"I doubt world will prevent Iran from building nukes" just as the	15:48	\|	Nahum	06/10/08

3.	When did Israel ever hint it would consider abandoning...	15:56	\|	ManintheMiddle	06/10/08

4.	The Rise of Terror and Tyrany begun has .	16:06	\|	Joseph.E	06/10/08

5.	#3. Maninthemiddle ,..of a crises.!	16:08	\|	Stephen.	06/10/08

6.	Israel is just wainting the last discussion fails to make the atk	16:20	\|	JP	06/10/08

7.	Israel is just wainting the last discussion fails to make the atk	16:20	\|	JP	06/10/08

8.	Please change the record	16:29	\|	George	06/10/08

9.	JUST READ THIS PART OF THIS EXTREMIST`S STATEMENT:	17:01	\|	JACKAL	06/10/08

10.	USA impotent at the moment.	17:02	\|	Efroim	06/10/08

11.	Failure!	17:27	\|	rigma	06/10/08

12.	SINCE WHEN?	17:57	\|	indrajaya	06/10/08

13.	An Other Yom Kippur War?A Surprised Nuke Attack By Iran Proxy(s)?	18:23	\|	Joseph.E	06/10/08

14.	#3, Man in the Middle: Do you have access ......	18:28	\|	Gary	06/10/08

15.	#10, Not impotency ,Just a Sleeping Giant !	18:29	\|	Gary	06/10/08

16.	to 3# AND 5#	18:41	\|	CHRIS	06/10/08

17.	Not Even Allah Can Stop Iran Because They Only Pay Him LipService	19:18	\|	Lavi	06/10/08

18.	now`s the time	19:25	\|	Harry	06/10/08

19.	NATO chief: I doubt world will prevent Iran from building nukes	19:35	\|	Zvi	06/10/08

20.	I wonder why?	19:58	\|	rigma	06/10/08

21.	Another way?	20:01	\|	rigma	06/10/08

22.	Scheffer`s confession	20:22	\|	Brod	06/10/08

23.	Hit Lebanon first! Iran will take more time.	20:34	\|	Efroim	06/10/08

24.	The world failed to stop Israel getting nukes,	20:37	\|	dumb question?	06/10/08

25.	Just swap the names of the nations to see the Iranian position	22:36	\|	Pablo B	06/10/08

26.	A War with Iran, Israel shall lose!	01:07	\|	haadi	07/10/08

27.	Israeli loose cannons	01:20	\|	gearoid	07/10/08

28.	#27 gearoid	02:26	\|	Moshe	07/10/08

29.	Where were the NATO before	02:43	\|	Refugee	07/10/08

30.	#12 Indrajaya	02:43	\|	Moshe	07/10/08

31.	Huh?	07:23	\|	Natallie Durson	07/10/08

32.	GEAROID ISLAMIST loaded cannons and their fellow travellers	07:38	\|	PETER SM	07/10/08

33.	Given Israeli nukes,	07:42	\|	JW	07/10/08

34.	MAN INTHEMIDDLE When did Iran hint it would ever live in peace??	07:48	\|	PETER SM	07/10/08

35.	Peace in our time	08:01	\|	Paul Cohen	07/10/08

36.	Nuclear Iran in the context of the Islamic Revolution.	08:04	\|	Jean Van Daem	07/10/08

37.	Nuclear Iran in the context of the Islamic Revolution.	08:04	\|	Jean Van Daem	07/10/08

38.	In your dream George !!!	17:35	\|	Serenity	07/10/08

39.	#28 Moshe	21:48	\|	gearoid	07/10/08

40.	PETER SM	21:56	\|	gearoid	07/10/08

41.	Natallie Durson (31, or was at last count)	05:07	\|	Magnus K.	10/10/08

42.	#39 gearoid	15:46	\|	Moshe	10/10/08

43.	#39-40 gearoid	16:04	\|	Moshe	10/10/08

44.	Shomer Yisrael	13:50	\|	Joseph	12/10/08

45.	Mutual deterrence - a recipe for peace	12:18	\|	Nick Ferriman	13/10/08

46.	Block on Western adventurism	12:53	\|	Nick Ferriman	13/10/08

47.	Isrealis Should Pray For Iran To Get Nukes	00:33	\|	Nite Owl	14/10/08

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