(Prof.Madan Menon Thottasseri)
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The NPT Review Summit concluded on 28th May, 2010 had decided to hold a regional conference in 2012 to discuss issues relevant to the Middle East zone free of WMD and their delivery systems is to be viewed as right step towards building CBMs in the region.
Whatever is the reason, not known to the media on the exclusion of Israel from the said conference has become a matter of protest by U.S. Probably many NPT members and analysts of global issues would have felt it as a big lapse in the outcome of the summit.
U.S President Barack Obama had expressed unhappiness for discrimination on Israel purposely with the influence of Arab world, over talks on weapons-free Asia and had hinted that U.S have to resist on any move to endanger the Israel’s national security. Obama’s comment has to be taken as a scornful declaration against Iran’s clandestinely pursuing nuclear ambitions and he had bluntly remarked on its failure to comply with NPT obligations. Iran's safeguards violations and continuation of LEU enrichment despite threats of UNSC resolutions were already criticised in the Final document. Thus it has not included Iran too in the list of nations for the regional conference to be held in 2012. The very purpose of a regional conference will be lost if both Iran and Israel well known for their repugnance between themselves are not attending the same. In fact the issues between these two nations if resolved, will make the Middle East region one of the most serene parts of the world!
Israel had responded against the proposal for regional conference, rejecting the action plans on nuclear weapons as agreed by 189 nations in the NPT summit. According to Israel, It had ‘deeply flawed’ as it ignored the realities and real threats emerging from Middle East that goes even beyond the region.
NPT had stressed Israel the need for it to join in the Treaty without mentioning the nation’s expanding nuclear programme. U.S diplomats had to reluctantly accept this proposition to prevent the conclusion of the summit with a borderline final statement. But accepting the same had created a fresh issue of strain between allies prior to the state visit by Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to Washington.
Israel’s disputation is that, being the only true democracy in the region, it faces threat by Iran which has stealthy ‘LEU swap’ programmed against the NPT norms and despite UNSC cautions, while having nuclear ambitions to develop warheads aimed to annihilate any nation of the region that is opposed politically, economically or socially. Prime Minister Netanyahu had protested - "Yet the terrorist regime in Iran, which is racing to develop nuclear weapons and which openly threatens to wipe Israel off the map, is not even mentioned (in NPT resolution)”.
The global community has to wait and see how Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Barack Obama will interface with each other at Washington on Tuesday 01 June, 2010 and discuss on Iran, the peace process with the Palestinians and the resolution of the NPT review summit.
It is a known fact that the U.S diplomacy will seldom fail to keep the enduring ally on its fold and uphold the bond for mutual benefits.
It is a known fact that the U.S diplomacy will seldom fail to keep the enduring ally on its fold and uphold the bond for mutual benefits.
