Israel rejects new technology proliferation code of conduct

Ha'Aretz ^ | 25 November 2002 | Aluf Benn

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Tuesday, November 26, 2002 Kislev 21, 5763 Israel Time: 01:00 (GMT+2) Last update - 22:35 25/11/2002 Israel rejects new technology proliferation code of conduct By Aluf Benn, Ha'aretz Diplomatic Affairs Correspondent

Israel announced Monday that it would not join a new International Code of Conduct aimed at blocking proliferation of ballistic missile technology, saying the new ICOC does not meet the needs of the Middle East.

The ICOC members met Monday night in The Hague, Holland, without Israeli representatives present.

The ICOC calls on member countries to adopt "confidence building measures" and behave transparently in matters of missiles and satellite launches. Every member-country is required to report on missile systems in its arsenals, provide advance notice of any missile or satellite launch, and issue an annual report on launches.

Israel has reservations about the element of transparency, arguing that it would harm its national security and is not suitable for the political reality in the Middle East. The Israeli position was that in areas rife with tension, reporting on missile launches would only encourage an arms race between countries and thus escalate the arms race instead of reducing proliferation.

For the last two years, the Foreign Ministry has been making significant diplomatic efforts to reach an understanding that would enable Israel to join the ICOC. Israel tried amending the ICOC to the effect that it would take into consideration what Jerusalem regards as the special circumstances in the region, with voluntary rather than required reporting.

Some European countries were sympathetic to Israel's concerns, but the effort to make the changes failed.

"We hoped the code would improve the efforts to block proliferation of ballistic missiles, but we doubt that it will achieve tangible results in our region," a Foreign Ministry statement said yesterday. "The code does not include practical steps for halting proliferation, and the member states do not provide guarantees in the form of arrangements for oversight regarding the export of missiles to problematic users."

But Israel did announce that while it would not join the ICOC, it would cooperate with ICOC member states in the effort to prevent the proliferation of missile technology.

[rmlew]

Why should Israel sign up for a treaty, which would call for it to destroy all of its IRBM's?
Israel is surrounded by hostile populations with larger armies and WMD's. Isreal needs a detterence.