A Nuclear-free Middle East Would Include Israel

(Ellen Tauscher is Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security.)

"…QUESTION: Yes, my name is (inaudible) Egyptian newspaper. The American invitation for a non-nuclear Middle East region, what exactly about the Israeli program – Israeli nuclear program. Is there any American push for the Israeli delegation to unveil its nuclear program? Thank you.

"UNDER SECRETARY TAUSCHER: We are working with our friends in Egypt and many members of the non-aligned movement and other Arab states on the 1995 Middle East WMD-free zone resolution. Israeli is a not a party to the NPT, will not be at the NPT. What’s important to see is that we have a very good opportunity to go forward both on balancing the requirements of the 1995 resolution for a opportunity to look to have a free zone in the Middle East and the areas of noncompliance – the countries of noncompliance that are also in the Middle East. So I think –

"QUESTION: But there isn’t any American push on the Israeli state to unveil itself –

"UNDER SECRETARY TAUSCHER: The United States has always stood for universality of the NPT."

Watch the video and read the full text of Press Releases: Briefing on the Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference
 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:41:41 -0500 here.

Israel Nukes? Iran Nukes? U.N. Review of Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Opens Next Week

Haaretz reports: "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will likely be granted a visa to attend the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference that opens in New York next week, U.S. officials said on Wednesday.

The "May 3-28 conference at U.N. headquarters…is intended to assess compliance with the landmark arms control pact."

"Egypt and other Arab states are demanding that any final declaration that might come out of the conference include a renewed call for the creation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East - meaning that Israel, which is assumed to have nuclear weapons - would have to disarm."

Israel is widely believed to have a sizable nuclear arsenal although it has not acknowledged it.

Egypt is also demanding the convening of an international conference next year with Israel's participation to discuss that issue. Diplomats said the United States and Russia are trying to find a way to satisfy Egypt's demands."