ElBaradei Urges Israel to Join Nuclear-Free Zone

Israel needs to “clarify” its nuclear program and support the creation of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East, International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei said Saturday (see GSN, April 28).

“I think everybody takes it as a given that Israel has a nuclear capability if not nuclear weapons,” he said in Moscow.

ElBaradei is scheduled to travel to Israel from July 6-8 as part of his IAEA-mandated efforts to create a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East, according to Agence France-Presse.

“As we know Israel is the only country in the Middle East so far as we know that has (nuclear) facilities that are not under international safeguards,” ElBaradei said. “So it’s part of my mandate to go and talk to Israel to see whether I can get things started somewhat,’ he said (Agence France-Presse/Jordan Times, June 28).

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