Egypt FM: We are not seeking to acquire nuclear weapons
Egyptian foreign minister refutes a May 2008 U.S. cable released by WikiLeaks which said that Egypt might develop nuclear weapons if Iran obtained them.
By Reuters Tags: Egypt Iran Iran nuclearEgypt is not seeking to acquire nuclear arms and wants to rid the region of such weapons, Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said on Saturday.
A May 2008 U.S. cable released by WikiLeaks quoted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak as warning U.S. officials Egypt might develop nuclear arms if Iran obtained them.
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Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit |
| Photo by: AP |
In 2007, Mubarak announced the resumption of a decades-old nuclear program for generating electricity and the bid for Egypt's first nuclear power station is due in weeks.
"Egypt does not seek to get nuclear arms because they would not be used and because their costs are huge. But we seek to rid the region of nuclear arms," Gheit told reporters on the sidelines of the ruling party's conference.
Iran and Egypt severed ties in 1980 after Iran's Islamic Revolution and Egypt's recognition of Israel. They are still at odds over issues such as the Middle East peace process and ties with Israel and the United States.
Another WikiLeaks release dated July 2009 quoted Egypt's intelligence chief Omar Suleiman as telling U.S. officials Iran was harboring extremists.
In April, Egypt convicted 26 men it said were linked to Lebanon's Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, accusing them of planning attacks in Egypt. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah called the verdicts "political and unjust".
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Cable 08CAIRO1067 read in it's entirety seems to show a Mubarak feeding Codel a line of double-talk. The message about Iran was typical of that given by everyone in the region, which is no one wants to see a nuclear Iran and no one wants a war. Mubarak is reported as saying "Mubarak said that Egypt might be forced to begin its own nuclear weapons program if Iran succeeds in those efforts." As stated it seems more intended to provoke America than anything else. Iran is a problem for Egypt, probably more of a real problem for Egypt than it is for israel. Everyone in the region wants US pressure on Iran. The cable also reports "Asked about the consequences of any U.S. strike on Iranian nuclear capabilities, Soliman said such an attack would not destroy Iran's nuclear capabilities and would only unite Iranians with their leadership and against the U.S."