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Lieberman. Question marks
Photo: Vadim Daniel
Livni. 'A global problem'
Photo: Daniel Bar-On

Lieberman joins attack on IAEA chief

Minister for strategic affairs' associates accuse head of UN nuclear watchdog of 'identifying with the Iranians and consciously working to cooperate with Ahmadinejad'. Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Livni tells EU foreign ministers that without sanctions, Tehran will obtain the bomb

Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman on Monday slammed International Atomic Energy Agency chief, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, saying that "his conduct raises a lot of question marks regarding his intentions and his real desire to deal with the Iranian arms race.

 

"So far Elbaradei has failed to prove that he has any skills in any issue or case, including in cases in which the international community managed to halt nuclear projects like in North Korea and in Lybia," Lieberman said.

 

"This, in addition to his criticism of Israel over the foreign reports on what happened in Syria," the minister added.

 

Over the past few months, Lieberman has been in charge of appointing special teams which include intelligence and military officials, to discuss Iran's nuclear program. He is expected to submit his findings to the cabinet within the a few months.

 

The findings are expected to include the conclusion that Tehran constitutes a strategic threat on Israel, both in terms of its nuclear plan and in terms of the tactical threat, by operating Hamas and Hizbullah terror cells and providing weapons to Israel's enemies.

 

Sources in Lieberman's office expressed their support for Foreign Ministry Director-General Aharon Abramovich, who accused Elbaradei of thwarting the international efforts against Iran's nuclear program.

 

"Instead of supervising the distribution of nuclear weapons to Iran, he is letting the Iranians stall. Deep down inside, Elbaradei identified with the Iranians on the personal basic level," the minister's associates said.

 

"ElBaradei identifies with the Muslim and Arab world. He tells himself that 'the Europeans have nuclear technology, the Americans have nuclear technology, and even Israel has it, so why shouldn't Iran have it as well?' He has a lot of anger against Israel over the nuclear issue.

 

"We must understand that someone here is consciously working to cooperate with (Iranian President Mahmoud) Ahmadinejad," an aide to Lieberman added.

 

Livni: Europe must lead sanctions

Meanwhile Monday, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni attempted to promote Israel's stance on the Iranian issue among her European counterparts during a European Union conference in Portugal.

 

"Iran continues to advance in the purchase of nuclear technology, in spite of the international talks being held by the United Nations nuclear agency. The way to stop it is through severe and more significant sanctions, as the diplomatic talks have so far failed in stopping it," Livni said in a speech.

 

The foreign minister backed the remarks made by her ministry's director-general against the agency's restrained statements in its final reports. Ahead of the report schedule to be released on November 22, which will determine whether the Security Council will impose further sanctions on Iran, Livni believes that the IAEA's conduct is not helping the world stop Tehran's nuclear arms race.

 

In her multiple meetings in the capital of Lisbon, Livni discussed the failure of the diplomatic moves, saying that she believed the sanctions must be toughened alongside diplomacy.

 

According to the foreign minister, Iran is trying "to win time" until it reaches the critical point of obtaining the technological knowledge needed for the development of nuclear weapons.

 

Without the sanctions, Livni said, Iran will move forward while completely ignoring the international community, headed by the UN Security Council.

 

A source in Livni entourage reported that the foreign minister told EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and other senior EU officials that "a nuclear Iran is not only a threat to Israel, but a global problem.

 

"Iran is an obstacle to stability in the Middle East. Europe must lead further sanctions. When the Europeans talk about bolstering the moderates in the Middle East, they must think about Iran as the leader of the radicals, including those among the Palestinian people," the foreign minister stressed.

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.06.07, 01:16
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