Posted on 02/03/2006 4:26:46 PM PST by West Coast Conservative
The 35-nation board of the International Atomic Energy Agency delayed a vote on a landmark resolution on Iran's nuclear program today largely because of American opposition to a clause indirectly criticizing Israel's nuclear weapons status, according to several diplomats.
The countries that sit on the decision-making council of the world's nuclear watchdog agency will meet again on Saturday.
Several diplomats said that it was unlikely that the problem would derail passage of the resolution, which would report Iran's case to the United Nations Security Council for the first time and which enjoys the support of the United States, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany.
But many of them insisted that the United States would have to back down from its position and predicted that the resolution might not pass with as strong a majority as they had hoped.
The problem arose when Egypt insisted that the draft resolution include a specific mention of support for the creation of a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East.
Egypt and other Arab states routinely demand references to a "nuclear free zone" in the Middle East in Security Council documents, arguing that Israel — which has never admitted that it has nuclear weapons and unlike Iran has never signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty — should be part of a general security framework in the Middle East that bans such weapons.
In the current debate, Egypt has argued that if a resolution is passed that makes the Security Council a player in considering Iran's nuclear program, it must include language about a nuclear-free Middle East.
But the problem has exposed a split between the Americans who oppose the Egyptian demand and Russia, China and the Europeans who support it.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
As always... sheez.
America standing up for Israel again.
Its amazing how much angst there is for that tiny country :(
I would suggest to the Egyptians that it is quite unwise to bite the American hand that is literally feeding them.
And Israel having the bomb has kept the war-like intent of all their Muslim neighbors (including Egypt) under control for all these years.
Enough of these games.
NYC and millions of American lives are worth whatever price must be paid to take down the Mullah's nuke warhead program.
No need for that....just a couple of dozen nuclear armed Tomahawks would take care of matters nicely.
---------------------------
: Haven't bombed anyone. Haven't attacked anyone.
How long will it be before the Mullahs use a bomb or threaten to use one for aggression?
Thats easy. The mullahs and the nutjob (Amanmenajead) in Iran will nuke Israel as soon as they get nuke capability.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.