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Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel arriving for a joint cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Monday. (AP)
Last update - 08:13 21/03/2008
Israel, Germany plan int'l summit to stop Iran nuke program
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Israel, Germany, Iran, Syria

Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at stopping Iran's nuclear program, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Chancellor Angela Merkel agreed during their working meeting in Jerusalem on Monday.

Haaretz has meanwhile learned that Iran has provided Syria with more than $1 billion for arms purchases, reflecting Syria's drive to build up its military power in the last year, as well as the strengthening of ties between the two countries.

Olmert and Merkel discussed steps to continue the international pressure on Iran that has developed following the third round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council. Both leaders voiced ideas on increasing the pressure on Iran and enlisting the international community to support the effort.
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A senior source said that Olmert had suggested holding an international conference on Iran. The two leaders decided to advance the initiative and will try to enlist other states to back it, including the United States, France, Britain, Russia and China, as well as other European states and Arab countries that are threatened by Iran's nuclear program.

Israel hopes that states from the moderate Sunni bloc in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and others would take part in the conference.

Olmert said a widely supported international gathering would initiate diplomatic pressure on Iran. A government source said such a conference could discuss practical suggestions for dealing with the nuclear issue, while sending a message to Tehran.

The $1 billion that Iran has recently provided Syria has been used to buy surface-to-surface missiles, rockets, anti-tank missiles and anti-aircraft systems.

Israel has learned that Syria is buying more missiles than tanks, on the assumption that attacking the Israeli home front would deter Israel on the one hand, and help to determine the war on the other.

A government official said this week that Iran was making huge efforts to upgrade the Syrian army. He said the close relations between Iran and Syria could make it difficult for Syria to sever its strategic alliance with Iran.

The London based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported in July 2007, during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Damascus, that he promised his counterpart Bashar Assad that Iran would finance Russian and North Korean weapon deals for $1 billion. In exchange, Syria reportedly undertook not to proceed with the peace process with Israel.

Intelligence officials presented different opinions on the Syrian-Iranian alliance at the annual intelligence evaluation presented to the cabinet some two weeks ago.

Mossad head Meir Dagan said Syria would be unlikely to break its ties with Iran, even if talks with Israel resumed and it repaired relations with Washington.

Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin disagreed, and said it was possible Syria could sever these ties in exchange for a reversal of American policy and an Israeli agreement to talk about the Golan Heights.

Israel is concerned over Iran's continuing weapon deliveries to Hezbollah via Syria. Recently, it has become known that Iran sent Hezbollah a number of deliveries, including a large amount of explosives.

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      1.   zion and her lapdog germany! what a thread 03:11  |  oh well 21/03/08
      2.   Israel could have nipped this in the bud years ago 03:21  |  Pablo B 21/03/08
      3.   Haaretz Learned 03:25  |  Edifice 21/03/08
      4.   Get real, Arabs will never form alliance with Zionists 03:30  |  Moise 21/03/08
      5.   On the Syrian front 03:35  |  Tosefta 21/03/08
      6.   Last thing Syria needs... 03:35  |  Undertaker 21/03/08
      7.   I-t`s Raining Weaponry 03:35  |  Zev 21/03/08
      8.   Dreaming about an International Summit against Iran 03:45  |  Tosefta 21/03/08
      9.   Olmert must go 03:48  |  Frank Medioni 21/03/08
      10.   The first German PM who is a `censored" since Hitler 04:07  |  mark Lincoln 21/03/08
      11.   From the people who brought you WW I and WW II 04:54  |  Mark Lincoln 21/03/08
      12.   Axis-of-Evil in full motion ايران - 조선민주 - سورية 05:10  |  Clickdick 21/03/08
      13.   mark Lincoln 05:47  |  miloimnick frm north 21/03/08
      14.   Syria is risking a pre-emtive war 05:47  |  US CITIZEN 21/03/08
      15.   #2 Pablo B--stop blaming the victim! 05:51  |  US CITIZEN 21/03/08
      16.   No to Iran`s nuclear program. 06:57  |  Jean Van Daem 21/03/08
      17.   there is no chance for diplomacy 07:20  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/03/08
      18.   Syria is not offering peace, but making demands 07:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/03/08
      19.   Iran Nuke Program should NOT be stopped 08:06  |  MiddleStanian 21/03/08
      20.   Yet Germany Encourages Trade with Iran 08:19  |  semsem 21/03/08
      21.   who cares about thr german tribes? 08:20  |  they yiddiash 21/03/08
      22.   Saudi Arabia is moderate Sunni, someone got their facts wrong 08:54  |  anti-racist 21/03/08
      23.   NO, SIR, YOU CAN`T 10:07  |  indrajaya 21/03/08
      24.   #14 U.S CITIZEN 10:21  |  BigBadJohn 21/03/08
      25.   We expect Haaretz to be more discriminating 12:17  |  Clickfool 21/03/08
      26.   Isn`t it called the United Nations? 12:19  |  Clickfool 21/03/08
      27.   #24 john and bad vibes he means like usa cannot whip 12:23  |  v hardman 21/03/08
      28.   #25, fool 12:29  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 21/03/08
      29.   #10 the germans goal third ww ? 12:39  |  germany 21/03/08
      30.   For Cipora # 28 12:40  |  Clickfool 21/03/08
      31.   Why is Syria not allowed to reinforce their army? 12:51  |  Andreas 21/03/08
      32.   #31 french and germany wants a strong libanon 13:22  |  germany 21/03/08
      33.   #31 and the wet drip andreas and water 13:23  |  v hardman 21/03/08
      34.   # 14 YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!! 14:12  |  petra 21/03/08
      35.   # 22 SAUDIS SPONSOR TERRORISM SOME `MODERATES` 14:14  |  petra 21/03/08
      36.   THANK G-D FOR ISRAEL AND AMERICA OR 14:16  |  petra 21/03/08
      37.   To anyone who supports Iran... 14:20  |  DR 21/03/08
      38.   Israel got $3 billion from America 14:25  |  Chris Linthwaite 21/03/08
      39.   For Petra # 36 15:00  |  Clickfool 21/03/08
      40.   Will Israel follow Sarkozy`s lead 15:07  |  Paul Wood 21/03/08
      41.   # 37 Nobody can stop Iran from making 15:18  |  kevin 21/03/08
      42.   #2 Pushy Israel 15:22  |  ka 21/03/08
      43.   #38, Chris, your brain is a double standard! 15:38  |  DR 21/03/08
      44.   The Real Reason. 15:39  |  Cool B 21/03/08
      45.   #38 lintwit is an exponent of double standards 15:40  |  v hardman 21/03/08
      46.   Egypt got $3 billion from America, Jordan almost $2 billion 15:41  |  Anti-hypocrites 21/03/08
      47.   Iran`s Nuclear Program 16:07  |  Ziggy 21/03/08
      48.   Germany a driver for Iraq war #29 16:09  |  Jonathan S 21/03/08
      49.   Germany a driver for Iranian bomb 16:11  |  Jonathan S 21/03/08
      50.   USA`s crimes against others 16:13  |  Ziggy 21/03/08
      51.   # 37, DR 16:20  |  indrajaya 21/03/08
      52.   #44, CoolB...wow, great analysis! 16:47  |  DR 21/03/08
      53.   Posts 11+12 Jonathan, it´s you??!!?? 16:50  |  Karl 21/03/08
      54.   How does No 25 know he is better informed?????? 17:00  |  Karl 21/03/08
      55.   Just Stop Ahmadinejad Right Now 17:09  |  Yosemite 21/03/08
      56.   Hey Click-idiot, Israel is only democracy in ME! 17:16  |  DR 21/03/08
      57.   It is about time 17:45  |  Yuri 21/03/08
      58.   # 10/11 Mark Lincoln 18:02  |  Bob 21/03/08
      59.   the wrong Equation 18:05  |  Zaki 21/03/08
      60.   no need for islamic nukes 18:30  |  jw 21/03/08
      61.   #48 germany is not responsible for anything in irak 18:44  |  germany 21/03/08
      62.   #59, Zaki...stop reading muslim propoganda! 18:48  |  DR 21/03/08
      63.   #56 DR 19:09  |  Clickfool 21/03/08
      64.   #10,#11 Mark Lincoln 19:14  |  Sarah 21/03/08
      65.   Israel is also run by religious fanatics 19:21  |  Zaki 21/03/08
      66.   #58 Bob from Munich 19:23  |  Cindy 21/03/08
      67.   #52 DR 19:39  |  Cool B 21/03/08
      68.   Paul Wood reveals his true self 19:55  |  Stephen in New York 21/03/08
      69.   #68 Stephen in New York 20:21  |  Paul Wood 21/03/08
      70.   #40 Paul Wood 20:25  |  Axel 21/03/08