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Last update - 00:00 06/10/2008
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.

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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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