Germany: Israel no excuse for spread of nukes
German foreign minister speaks at Cairo press conference: Excuse which you call 'double standard' does not justify more nuclear powers
Frank-Walter Steinmeier made the comments during a visit to Egypt, a member of the 35-seat board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The two sides discussed Iran's nuclear program during the visit.
"This excuse which you call 'double standards' does not justify allowing us to see a nuclear power, which will worsen the situation. Rather we should use all possibilities to eliminate nuclear proliferation," Steinmeier told journalists.
A journalist had earlier asked Steinmeier: "No one in Germany or the West talks about the nuclear situation in Israel, and it is real. Why should we worry about something that is a possibility and ignore something that is real."
Israel is widely believed to have nuclear weapons but has never confirmed or denied their existence and is not a party to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Germany, France and Britain have held two years of talks with Iran over the West's suspicions it is pursuing a nuclear bomb. Tehran claims its program is only for peaceful means.
U.S. pushing for swift action
The European Union group of three says diplomacy has not worked and want to refer Iran to the U.N. Security Council. The United States is pushing for swift action to refer Iran to the Security Council while Russia and China urge caution.
Steinmeier said that Egypt and Germany share similar views on Iran. "We both expressed our conviction that the pressure on the Iranian government must be maintained," he said.
In September, Egypt abstained from an IAEA board vote on a resolution declaring Iran in "Non-compliance" With the NPT, a verdict that requires a report to the Security Council at an unspecified future date.
Egypt has loosely linked Iran's nuclear program with that of Israel in previous statements and says it aims for a region without weapons of mass destruction.
The IAEA's board is due to debate Iran at an emergency meeting on Feb. 2, but no consensus has emerged on what the U.N. Nuclear watchdog should do.
