EU Wants Clarification on Olmert Comment

The European Union is seeking clarification of a recent comment by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in which he seemingly acknowledged his nation’s previously unacknowledged nuclear weapons program, United Press International reported yesterday (see GSN, Dec. 13).

“Mr. Olmert should further explain what this information really means,” said Finnish Defense Minister Seppo Kaariainen, head of the EU defense council.

“I hope that the international crisis management that began this summer in Lebanon can be continued without disturbances,” he said.  “The EU will carefully observe what reactions the Israeli explanation sparks in the region” (United Press International, Dec. 13).

The United Nations and the international community should demand that Israel allow access to its nuclear sites, the Arab league said yesterday.

“Pressure must be exerted on Israel through the International Atomic Energy Agency to open its nuclear facilities in a transparent manner,” said Mohammed Sobeih, assistant secretary general in charge of Palestinian affairs.  “It is essential that Israel comply with international resolutions.”

“Everyone knows that Israel possesses weapons of mass destruction which could reach as far as 2,000 kilometers and all Arab capitals are within this range,” he added (Agence France-Presse, Dec. 13).

The International Atomic Energy Agency indicated that it would not respond to Olmert’s statement, in which he listed Israel alongside several known nuclear powers while addressing suspicions about Iran’s atomic program, RIA Novosti reported today.

Acknowledgement of Israel’s nuclear arsenal could press other Middle Eastern nations to seek their own atomic weapons, according to experts.

“This may lead to a further softening of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, which, unfortunately, would be a very dangerous development indeed,” said Sergei Markov of the Russian Public Chamber (RIA Novosti/SpaceWar.com, Dec. 14).

Former chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix said yesterday that Olmert’s indirect comments are not likely to produce such a response, the Associated Press reported.

“So long as it’s muted and not acknowledged … it might be easier for [Arab nations] to refrain from, or hold back, proposals that they too acquire nuclear weapons,” he said.

Israel’s Middle Eastern neighbors are already aware of its reputed arsenal, Blix said.

“The whole world is fairly sure that they have about 200 weapons, and beating around the bush I think doesn’t change very much they are part of the nuclear landscape,” he said (Mike Corder, Associated Press/Yahoo!News, Dec. 13).

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