Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 10, 2007 Tevet 1, 5768 | | Israel Time: 06:32 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah
Condoleezza Rice talks with her Spanish counterpart Miguel Angel Moratinos at the NATO meeting in Brussels on Friday. (AP)
del.icio.us
Digg It!  new
Last update - 07:22 08/12/2007
Livni, at NATO: There is no doubt Iran is seeking nuclear arms
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Iran, NATO 

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said at a conference of NATO ministries in Brussels on Friday that she had no doubt that Iran is continuing to pursue the development of nuclear weapons.

"There are the old-fashioned threats coming from states like Iran - a dangerous regime based on an extreme religious ideology and speaks clearly about its vision of wiping a state off the map, denies the Holocaust, works with radical elements in order to undermine other regimes in the region and financing terrorist organizations - while simultaneously tries to achieve nuclear weapons" Livni said.

"Have no mistakes - This is the Iranian goal - this is the purpose of the continuous enrichment program - in clear violation of the NPT [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] and Security Council resolutions. There is not, and there should not be any dispute on this," the foreign minister continued.
Advertisement
Livni was speaking several days after the release of the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate, which found Iran froze its nuclear program in 2003.

Israel and the United States are concerned the report's findings could thwart recent international momentum to impose tougher sanctions on Iran in order to force it to retreat from its nuclear program, which it claims is for peaceful civilian purposes only.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met privately on Friday at the NATO conference with her Russian counterpart, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, but could not persuade him of the urgency of new sanctions.

Lavrov said he hopes for more talks with Iran. Regarding the U.S. intelligence report, he said that "it fully confirms the information that we have - that there is no military element in their nuclear program. We hope very much that these negotiations with Iran will continue"

Rice saw Lavrov after having won NATO backing to stay the course on a two-pronged approach that offers Iran civilian nuclear cooperation in return for a shutdown of uranium enrichment and reprocessing.

"There was unanimity around the table that there is a clear choice for Iran," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told reporters, noting offers of nuclear cooperation with Iran if it stops enriching and reprocessing uranium.

"Iran can see the outstretched hand from the international community if they are willing to join the drive against proliferation," he said. "But if Iran persists on defying the will of the United Nations Security Council, then there must be further sanctions."

But Lavrov said Wednesday that Moscow had never seen evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program, not even one that it had given up on four years ago.

Before embarking on her trip, Rice maintained that Iran stopped developing its program due to international pressure, and therefore the international community must maintain its pressure on Tehran.

Earlier Friday, France announced it would push for continued negotiations to tighten international sanctions against Iran, saying its concerns over Tehran's nuclear program were not allayed by the new U.S. intelligence.

"Negotiations should continue so that we can reach possibly a worsening of the sanctions regime," said French presidential spokesman David Martinon.

"We need to increase pressure on Iran and the only way to do that is sanctions," he added. "For us, the sooner the better."

Martinon said the report did not allay France's concerns.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. President George W. Bush discussed the report earlier this week.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel urged a two-pronged approach of pressure and negotiations with Iran.

Defense official: Won't rule out strike on Iran
A senior defense official suggested Friday that Israel would still consider a military strike against Iran to stop what it believes is a
nuclear arms program.

"For now, Israel believes diplomatic pressure on its top enemy must be exhausted," Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai told Army Radio. But when asked if he believed an Israeli strike was possible, Vilnai said, "no option needs to be off the table."

Vilnai did not say if Israel should act alone in any military action. Defense officials have said such a strike would be complicated for a variety of reasons, including the fact that Iran's nuclear development sites are located in several areas around the country.

In response to the new U.S. assessment, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Israel's own intelligence analysis indicates Iran has not stopped the program. "We cannot allow ourselves to rest just because of an intelligence report from the other side of the Earth, even if it is from our greatest friend," Barak said.

President Shimon Peres told former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in a meeting this week that many intelligence assessments around the world later turned out to have been inaccurate.

Israel considers Iran its greatest threat, pointing to calls by the Islamic regime's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, for Israel's destruction. Iran said last month that it had produced a new missile with a range of 2,000 kilometers, capable of reaching Israel.

In 1981 Israeli warplanes penetrated deep into Iraq to destroy an unfinished nuclear reactor near Baghdad to prevent its use in a weapons program.

Israel has since taken delivery of about 80 aircraft fitted with long-range fuel tanks that would allow them to reach Iran, and it has acquired three German-built submarines reportedly capable of firing nuclear-armed missiles, with two more under construction.

Israel has never confirmed or denied possessing nuclear weapons, but it is widely believed to have a formidable atomic stockpile.

Related articles:
  • Olmert: Nuke report on Iran shows need for tighter Iran sanctions
  • Study: U.S., Israel should begin planning strike on Iran nuclear sites
  • U.S. intel official warns Iranian nuclear ambitions aren't 'benign'
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us
    Bigotry prevails
    Haaretz.com TV: A new study shows a rise in racism against Israel's Arabs.
    High and dry
    Hamas seizes hundreds of pounds of marijuana in Gaza - and burns it in public.
      1.   ISRAEL NOT RULLING OUT STRIKE?... IRAN TOO ! 11:57  |  Dodoo 07/12/07
      2.   Tell Me.. 12:41  |  The Teacher/Instruct 07/12/07
      3.   What`s more dangerous than Iran are Israeli security paranoids 12:49  |  Hei 07/12/07
      4.   Bush & Co, out of the loop. 13:02  |  Stephen. 07/12/07
      5.   The NIE report will force Israe to respond 13:03  |  Avi 07/12/07
      6.   Consequences 13:05  |  Charlie 07/12/07
      7.   I had a better opinion about Vilnai - that he was not a complete 13:26  |  S 07/12/07
      8.   Why are Israeli defense officials so stupid? 13:51  |  Danny 07/12/07
      9.   Do it and pay a terrible price, Israel 13:54  |  Clickfool 07/12/07
      10.   Sarkozy&merkel,the 2 new poodles,and israeli security guys just 13:58  |  lakshmi 07/12/07
      11.   Don`t Do It, And Pay an Infinitely Worse Price 14:13  |  David Samson 07/12/07
      12.   Zero Credibility 14:32  |  H A Soffer 07/12/07
      13.   Answering Danny # 8 14:36  |  Clickfool 07/12/07
      14.   Iran 15:03  |  Shery 07/12/07
      15.   RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY 15:13  |  John Isenhower 07/12/07
      16.   #14, Shery...there is a bigger problem than nukes! 16:09  |  DR 07/12/07
      17.   Wolves in Sheep`s Clothing. 16:11  |  Cool B 07/12/07
      18.   Bloody nose 16:13  |  sam 07/12/07
      19.   Israels WMD`s must be removed 16:16  |  Jens 07/12/07
      20.   to 14 Shery 16:19  |  Baaz 07/12/07
      21.   Use your VETO Russia 16:28  |  POP 07/12/07
      22.   They are evil ... 16:32  |  crazy Bob 07/12/07
      23.   Livni stop junk words, don`t lie again. 16:46  |  Rafi 07/12/07
      24.   what about Israel nuke? 16:51  |  Joshua 07/12/07
      25.   Doesn`t really matter what Livni says 17:03  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/07
      26.   thank you # 9 ckickfool 17:11  |  dan 07/12/07
      27.   I`m certain Israel seeks nuclear arms 17:13  |  Truthteller 07/12/07
      28.   It Is A Geopolitical game. It is Not About A Nuclear Iran. 17:18  |  Eli 07/12/07
      29.   LOL - Livini Talks about NPT???? 17:27  |  Ahmed 07/12/07
      30.   Clickfool 17:27  |  Mary P 07/12/07
      31.   NO DOUBT? 17:37  |  kaled 07/12/07
      32.   No doubt Israel has nuclear arms 17:40  |  American Ninja 07/12/07
      33.   to # 26 , the one-sided truthteller 17:48  |  dan 07/12/07
      34.   The Smoke Calling the Kettle Black 17:48  |  DoubleClick 07/12/07
      35.   America lost traction 17:49  |  Atoo Landarv 07/12/07
      36.   #17, Cool B and others 17:51  |  DR 07/12/07
      37.   You have a lot of hate Clickfool 17:54  |  David 07/12/07
      38.   A job worth doing is worth doing yourself. 17:55  |  bat yam 07/12/07
      39.   Weird sense of humor, or not....... 18:04  |  Esther 07/12/07
      40.   Dimona - Where was NPT than 18:08  |  AM 07/12/07
      41.   What Israel should do 18:15  |  Tosefta 07/12/07
      42.   #13, This time you are right Clickfool 18:16  |  Scientist 07/12/07
      43.   To David Samson 18:19  |  Persian Kitty 07/12/07
      44.   #43 Persian Kitty... 18:29  |  DR 07/12/07
      45.   International community has a dual role 18:32  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/07
      46.   Reasons not to accept good news, and how to cope with them 18:38  |  Tosefta 07/12/07
      47.   WHY WON`T ISRAEL SHARE? 18:39  |  Mark of Lewiston 07/12/07
      48.   The International community has a dual role part 2 18:41  |  Chris Linthwaite 07/12/07
      49.   Tosefta 18:42  |  Ravi 07/12/07
      50.   I agree with Clickfool 18:45  |  James 07/12/07
      51.   #35, what a ridiculous statement! 18:50  |  DR 07/12/07
      52.   what a JOKE! 18:58  |  mike 07/12/07
      53.   #36 DR 19:00  |  Cool B 07/12/07
      54.   Religious Duty (Ravi #49) 19:19  |  Tosefta 07/12/07
      55.   TO NO 8 THIS IS NOT ME. 19:20  |  DANNY 07/12/07
      56.   To DR - Part I 19:21  |  Persian Kitty 07/12/07
      57.   # 36 DR 19:24  |  Bob 07/12/07
      58.   # 39 Esther 19:35  |  Bob 07/12/07
      59.   To DR - Part II 19:38  |  Persian Kitty 07/12/07
      60.   No attacks on Iran allowed during US presidential election year! 19:39  |  Voice of Reason 07/12/07
      61.   Livni talking about UNSC and NPT?!?! 19:39  |  ad 07/12/07
      62.   #52, who`s the joke? 19:53  |  DR 07/12/07
      63.   In 67 Israel was on her own; the same in 07 20:04  |  B 07/12/07
      64.   For Dan # 26 20:06  |  Clickfool 07/12/07
      65.   #47, Mark of Lewiston 20:12  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
      66.   Tosefta 20:13  |  Ravi 07/12/07
      67.   For David - you`re right # 37 20:14  |  Clickfool 07/12/07
      68.   Livni, nobody`s listening to the warmongers anymore 20:20  |  Michael 07/12/07
      69.   Say, David S. #11 20:27  |  joebhed 07/12/07
      70.   Clickfool the racist! 20:36  |  DR 07/12/07
      71.   Even after the Shah Tosefta 20:36  |  Mark Lincoln 07/12/07
      72.   #61 ad - Livni and NPT and UNSC Resolutions 20:42  |  chet 07/12/07
      73.   #49, Ravi 20:48  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
      74.   To Cipora & Mark of Lewiston 21:00  |  Persian Kitty 07/12/07
      75.   # 66 Ravi 21:01  |  Bob 07/12/07
      76.   #59, Persian Kitty...why was ISrael in Lebanon? 21:02  |  DR 07/12/07
      77.   #67, since your hate is so exclusive 21:04  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 07/12/07
      78.   no doubt Livni is lying 21:16  |  Dav