US Rages at NPT Over Israel Decision

After the international community agreed to put pressure on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the US president reacts by condemning the move.

In a statement issued on Friday, US President Barack Obama said the agreement reached at the 2010 NPT review conference singled out Israel with regard to a nuclear weapons-free Middle East.

"We strongly oppose efforts to single out Israel and will oppose actions that jeopardize Israel's national security," President Obama said.'

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Israel Must Sign NPT, 189 Countries Say

The final statement of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference has called for the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

The 28-page document, which was agreed upon on Friday by all 189 NPT signatories after a month-long round of talks at UN Headquarters in New York, called for a conference to be held in 2012 "to be attended by all states of the Middle East, leading to the establishment" of a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

Western diplomats said the United States finally agreed to a deal at the UN that would pressure Israel to join the NPT, Al Jazeera.net reported.'

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Israel must sign NPT, IAEA Chief Says

The head of the UN nuclear watchdog has called for international input to pressure Israel into joining the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Yukiya Amano has asked the watchdog's 151 member states to share views on how to implement a resolution demanding that Israel "accede to the" NPT and open its nuclear facilities to inspections.'

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IAEA Rejects Own Reports, Purpose, Non-Proliferation Treaty: Orwellian Vote Condemns Compliant Iran

Iran received US assistance under the US-imposed dictator, the Shah Pahlavi (a "king"). When Iran deposed their king, the US withdrew their assistance and refused to refund billions of dollars Iran had paid. France also reneged on contracts without refunding Iran’s payments. The issues over Iran allowing other nations to develop their nuclear fuel is colored by this history of US and France still owing Iran billions of dollars, and refusing Iran’s offer to only allow a fuel exchange if their unprocessed uranium is simultaneously swapped with enriched fuel.'

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Obama: Israel Should Sign NPT

President Barack Obama managed to avoid Israel’s nuclear program nearly entirely for the high profile nuclear summit, but was unable to successfully dodge a question at the closing press conference about Israel’s non-membership in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Though the bulk of Obama’s talks dealt with securing the weapons grade nuclear stockpiles of such rogue nations as Canada and Chile, when pressed he eventually insisted that he wanted every nation, including Israel to sign the NPT. He also insisted that this position was nothing new.

Yet in September the Obama Administration vigorously opposed a vote by IAEA member states calling on Israel to join the NPT, calling it unfair to single out Israel, the only nation in the Middle East that is not a signatory.'

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Washington Negotiator Calls on Israel to Sign Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty

A diplomatic row broke out today between the US and Israel after Washington's chief nuclear arms negotiator called on Israel to sign the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT), breaking a US tradition of discretion over Israel's nuclear arsenal.

Israeli officials said they were puzzled by a speech to an international conference in New York by Rose Gottemoeller, an assistant secretary of state, who said: "Universal adherence to the NPT itself - including by India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea - also remains a fundamental objective of the United States."

By including Israel on a list of countries known to have nuclear weapons. Gottemoeller broke with normal US diplomatic practice. Since 1968 when the CIA reported Israel had developed a nuclear weapon , Washington has pursued a policy of not demanding transparency from its close ally, and in return Israel agreed not to test a bomb or declare its nuclear capability - a policy of "strategic ambiguity".

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