Israel: We never agreed to discuss nukes
IAEA-affiliated papers suggest Jerusalem accepted invitation to discuss Mideast free of atomic arms with Arab nations; PM's bureau denies report
Israel and Arab nations have tentatively accepted an invitation by the UN nuclear agency to discuss a Middle East free of atomic arms, The Associated Press reported Wednesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bureau, however, denied the report.
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Whether the meeting takes place may depend on the participants' willingness to compromise on preconditions.
An official from a delegation accredited to the International Atomic Energy agency says IAEA chief Yukiya Amano planned to meet with the Arab group on Sept. 5 to try and bridge differences.
But he and members of other delegations describe the chances of success as possibly the best since 2000. That was when IAEA nations asked the agency to convene such talks.
Last June, Iran convened its second nuclear summit and urged the international community to pressure Israel into subjecting its nuclear program to international oversight, as well as join the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi blamed Israel and the United States for being an obstacle en route to a nuclear weapon-free Middle East.
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