The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, Mohamed El Baradei, suggests that Israel rid itself of nuclear weapons - but insists that Iran's documented pursuit of nuclear capabilities are not a concern.
El Baradei told Moscow reporters on Sunday that Israel should take steps to disarm so as to reduce frustration in the region about "what is seen to be a widespread imbalance." The Israelis agree, El Baradei said, "but they say it has to be... after peace agreements. My proposal is that maybe we need to start to have a parallel dialogue on security at the same time we're working on the peace process." He said he would like to see Israel, along with other Middle East countries, open up their nuclear facilities to inspections by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency. El Baradei is scheduled to visit Israel and other Middle East countries next month.
in a speech two days later, the same El Baradei who called for nuclear-free Middle-East" took a different tone - this time regarding Iran's nuclear program. El Baradei, still in Moscow, said that he was unconcerned by Russia's construction of a nuclear reactor in Iran, brushing aside US allegations that the facility could be used to develop nuclear weapons. Following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, El Baradei said that they had not discussed the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran because the project is an issue of Russia-Iran relations.
The United States has strongly criticized Russia for pushing ahead with construction of the $800 million reactor near the Iranian port of Bushehr. The Americans feel that Iran could use Moscow's atomic know-how to develop nuclear weapons. El-Baradei, adopting the Iranian claim, said that "Bushehr is a project to produce nuclear energy" and should not be the center of international concern.
El Baradei told Moscow reporters on Sunday that Israel should take steps to disarm so as to reduce frustration in the region about "what is seen to be a widespread imbalance." The Israelis agree, El Baradei said, "but they say it has to be... after peace agreements. My proposal is that maybe we need to start to have a parallel dialogue on security at the same time we're working on the peace process." He said he would like to see Israel, along with other Middle East countries, open up their nuclear facilities to inspections by the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency. El Baradei is scheduled to visit Israel and other Middle East countries next month.
in a speech two days later, the same El Baradei who called for nuclear-free Middle-East" took a different tone - this time regarding Iran's nuclear program. El Baradei, still in Moscow, said that he was unconcerned by Russia's construction of a nuclear reactor in Iran, brushing aside US allegations that the facility could be used to develop nuclear weapons. Following his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, El Baradei said that they had not discussed the Bushehr nuclear power plant in Iran because the project is an issue of Russia-Iran relations.
The United States has strongly criticized Russia for pushing ahead with construction of the $800 million reactor near the Iranian port of Bushehr. The Americans feel that Iran could use Moscow's atomic know-how to develop nuclear weapons. El-Baradei, adopting the Iranian claim, said that "Bushehr is a project to produce nuclear energy" and should not be the center of international concern.