West has no evidence of Iran atomic bomb program, senior Turkish diplomat says
Head of Organization of Islamic Cooperation tells Haaretz at Doha conference that Tehran has right to peaceful nuclear program, rejects military intervention.
By Akiva Eldar Tags: Iran nuclear Middle East peace UN PalestiniansDOHA - There's no evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, Prof. Ekmeleddin İhsanoğlu, the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Monday, adding that even a recent and critical report by the United Nations' nuclear watchdog did not provide concrete of nefarious nuclear ambitions.
Speaking at the Brookings Doha Center, the Turkish diplomat, who many see as a natural successor to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, also said, in response to an Haaretz query, that every country had a right to develop a peaceful nuclear program.
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An aerial photograph showing Iran's uranium conversion facility just outside the city of Isfahan, March 30, 2005. |
| Photo by: AP |
İhsanoğlu said an outside interference was unlikely to change or alleviate the situation in Iran, citing Lebanon, Iraq, and Afghanistan as instances in which intervention only served to hurt the citizens of those countries.
However, the OIC chief urged the Arab world to increase pressure on Syria in order to end the ongoing crisis there, saying that Arab nations were successful in sparking change in Yemen, where diplomatic efforts led to a regime change.
Prof. İhsanoğlu added that the Islamic states failed to realize their intention to end the Syrian crisis, saying "promises weren’t kept, meetings were canceled."
"If the regime in Syria continues to ignore pressures we'll witness more bloodshed, but eventfully no regime can ignore the will of the people," the OIC chief added.
Regarding the Arab Peace Initiative, which the OIC backed 9 years ago, İhsanoğlu added that the offer was still on the table, adding that he felt it was the only way to end the Arab-Israeli conflict.
According to the initiative, the Arab League proposed in March 2001, all 57 Muslim states would normalize their relations with Israel, in return for Israel withdrawing to the 1967 lines and offering a satisfactory solution for Palestinian refugees, in accordance with UN resolution 194.
İhsanoğlu said he felt that Arab Spring movements would help Israel and Arab governments to resolve their differences, adding that the new governments in the Middle East express the national aspirations of the Arab people, and they sympathize with the Palestinian people.
In the face of fears that the Arab Spring would lead to war, the Turkish diplomat said that "only dictators initiate wars," congratulating the Palestinian leadership for taking the initiative in its bid to join UNESCO.
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What does "a satisfactory resolution to the Palestine refugees" mean? The influx of 4.5 million foreign Arabs into Israel? Does Mr. Eldar accept the inevitable consequences of that? Better to resettle them in the lands from which the same number of Jews were expelled in 1948. They speak the same language.
The West has no evidence of Iran atomic bomb program as America had conjured up false evidence that Iraq had WHD. America and the West attacked Iraq becasue Iraq can not defend itself. America and Israel will think hard before they attack Iran because Iran can defend itself and America knows that Iran will deliver a huge blow to Israel, America and Americans if it is attacked. Even if the West had evidence of Iran atomic bomb program, it would cover it up and think twice before attacking Iran. Iran, unlike Iraq, is not a school yard whimpy kid that can be bullied or forced to bow down to anyone and both the West and America know that well.
Dear Sir you forget about the streght of Irak during the rule of Saddam Hussein. His country had the fifth larg army in the world and during the first Gulf war the USA had to gather a coallision of over 500000 man to dare to attack Irak . Think about the thread of Iran once again with his outdated militairy force. Iran only thread consist of the trouble it can cause on the international oil front.
There is no proof, that Iran is develloping nuclear weapons. OK. But there is no proof, that Iran is NOT develloping nuclear Weapons. And ofcourse, if you know about peaceful nuclear technology, you get knollege of nuclear weaponery. If in fact Iran is able to build a nuclear weapon, there is no proof, that it will do so, and if it builds a bomb, there is no proof, that it will use it against Israel first. (In fact, there is proof, that Israel is used to use force "preventively".) When Iran got the nuclear bomb, Israel can 't use its bombs not as delibratly anymore. It could be a bumerang. That's the point of the excitement.
Go do your homework.
that Iran is seeking parity with Israel. All he has done is point and demand the West attack iran on Israel's behalf. Fortunately after the Iraq debacle our politicians know that any attack on Iran without providing surefire proof ie a nuclear weapon they will lose their jobs.
Why do you think the US destroyed it?
thank you very much for the update mr. diplomat of a nation that has forsaken its democratic and secular past to pander to the islamists. your educated and obviously very unbiased opinion is always appreciated. A quick follow up, can you also confirm that the syrian crack down on protesters is all made up by the zionists and the west and that only one guy was actually hurt in the entire thing and it was like so by accident and syria has already apologized profusely and sent flowers... thanks again!
so a defacto ottoman empire is born to declare that turning israel into an islamic country is the only solution.if every palestinian can return means even the present day israel is not enough to accommodate all of their grand children. so usa has to decide whether to keep turkey still in nato
doing there foreign policy slalom! I am more and more declined to hope they will fall hard on their noses!
I challenge any one of you to name of the exact chemical agent in cigarette smoke that is the cause of lung cancer. You can't do it, can you!!!! I just wonder if Iran nuclear scientists are chain-reaction smokers or not?
Their leaders are either blind, liars, or stupid. Either way, if Israel were blown up, Turkey would say there's no "evidence" Iran provided the nuke. Pay no attention to them.
I'm sure this opinion had no iranian influence. You are easily moldable if you believe this.
You must be overdozing on that diaretic "tea" since it is spewing out of you daily.
We have heard this Bolonie for 6 years and do they really think we are crazy enough to believe this?? What are they smoking?
Seems like only Nutty Yahoo says so.
The sad part of the current situation is that Israel (our Jewish brethren/sisters) do not understand that at the behest of Christian Zionists, it is taking the whole Middle east towards Armaggedon (the end-goal of Zionists). The Muslims have never had any historical grudge against Jewish brethren. But Israel keeps on harking back at his history (thousands of years of genocides) that were perpetrated by these same Christian Zionists, that today Israel is a friend off.
But read your history better. jews were percecuted also in arab and muslim lands, fewer were killed though than by christian hands. ALL JEWS IN SAUDI WERE MURDERED!
how much the arabs pay you to pormot in every garbage you write about this initiative ?
Go and listen to the reports of the Council of Human Rights! You can find it on Hüryett English!
Akiva, now you become defender of iran so far publice relation agent for pal now iran just because Islamic Cooperation say so you ignor everything else i do not know why government do not take care of you but some how i know your article is a jock among our comunity
A lot of people in this community like to know different point of views. It seems that you only want journalism to be one sided. THANK YOU HAARETZ, keep up the good work.
and someone who can talk sense.
and Akiva believes him
situation is not as you perceive it. Invasion of Libya opening moves redux. "Deserters" and "Activists".
There are HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS around world against Israel? I hadn't noticed them.
"Huge" is a relative term. There are many demonstrations all over Europe, UK, universities in USA etc. advocating boycott and isolation of Israel.
"Huge" is a relative term. There are many demonstrations all over Europe, UK, universities in USA etc. advocating boycott and isolation of Israel.
much less since your President hates us Jews so much.
It's not only the Iranian president who hates the jews. So does the rest of the world. Except Greece and Cyprus for the time being.
Nice try. The rest of your world is your Moslem world right?
Silly people.
After all the hard work the Israel and the west have put into manufacturing evidence this guy could have at least acknowledged it instead of relying on facts.
What the hell has Irans nuclear ambition to do with the Israel or the none existent people called Arab Palestinians.. They never give up these islamists..Be it Turkey,or Arabs.. They are all for one another...(all; muslims)
are you bothered that much. Look at your lobby for its "jewish cooperation". So, no one else is allowed?
IAEA Report GOV/2011/65 makes it quite clear that there is no 'proof'. It also provides information about questionable activities and more important questions unanswered. While the 'west' has refused to provide any 'evidence', Iran has failed to prove itself innocent, something it is required to do under the NPT.
The evidence, if they have it, will be produced when the facility is disabled. Why show "what" you are going to attack?
Bwahahaahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahhaahahah
As a member in NATO Turkey is a ally of the U.S.