Israel urged to join anti-nuclear arms treaty
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Xinhua, November 22, 2011
Arab countries on Monday urged Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) at a forum focused on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone (NWFZ) in the Middle East.
Israel came under fire at the opening of the two-day forum which was aimed at learning lessons from the five existing NWFZs in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.
The debate included the question of Israel's nuclear capability suspected of having military purposes.
Representatives form Arab countries, in particular Syria and Lebanon, criticized Israel as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.
The representative of Israel, meanwhile, argued that peace in the region must be ensured before the state joins a corresponding agreement.
About 100 nations participated in the forum, but Iran stayed away.
"As long as Israel is not joining the NPT ... and denounce and destroy all nuclear weapons capabilities, we will not be able to realize this expectation of the international community for a nuclear weapons-free zone," Iran's ambassador to the IAEA Ali Asghar Soltanieh said ahead of the meeting.
He called such forums meaningless as long as the IAEA follows a double-standard approach toward certain issues, including the case of Israel's nuclear capability.
Israel, which participated in the forum, is the only Middle East country that has not jointed NPT and never confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons.
A recent report on Iran's nuclear program says the country has engaged in nuclear weapon-related research activities while falling short of concluding that Iran is currently attempting to develop such weapon.
In response, Iran dismissed the findings in the IAEA report as fabricated by Western countries and insisted the country's nuclear activities is purely for peaceful purposes.
The IAEA forum is intended to pave the way for an international meeting hosted by Finland next year to formally discuss ridding the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction.
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