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Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman
Photo: Ohad Zwigenberg
President Shimon Peres with OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría
Photo: Michal Petel

Israel seeking membership in Nuclear Energy Agency

Jerusalem hoping to receive OECD secretary general's support for membership in two OECD forums, including Middle East and North Africa forum

Israel will ask to join the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), an internal Foreign Ministry document states. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Deputy Minister Daniel Ayalon will present the request to OECD Secretary General Angel Gurría at Israel's cabinet meeting on Sunday.

 

The agency, in which 29 out of the 34 members are OECD countries, works for judicial, environmental and technological based international cooperation with the goal of promoting safe use of nuclear energy.

 

Recently, the Foreign Ministry contacted the agency's secretary general in order to prepare the groundwork for Israel's possible entry into the agency.

 

The Foreign Ministry hopes that Gurría, who is currently visiting Israel for a financial convention, will give the move a green light.

 

The Foreign Ministry's policy paper notes that Israel will also work towards becoming a member of the OECD's Middle East and North Africa (MENA) forum, whose members include countries which do not have any diplomatic ties with Jerusalem. The initiative works towards social and economic cooperation.

 

The forum was established in 2005 and its members include Syria, Algeria, Bahrain, the UAE, Libya, Kuwait, Sudan and Tunisia.

 

Sources in the Foreign Ministry said that using professional tools within the MENA initiative could promote the establishment of future diplomatic ties with some member states. 

 

The foreign minister and his deputy will also ask the OECD secretary general to consider placing Israeli representatives in key positions within the organization.

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.21.10, 09:23
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