Drawing a distinction between Iran, which has violated provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), and Israel, which hasn't signed it, United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here on Monday that the latter has “made numerous overtures to try to have a peaceful resolution” to the situation in the Middle-East.
“Obviously, the United States believes that whatever differences one might have with the situation in the Middle-East, Israel has been defending itself for the past 60 years, and has made numerous overtures to try to have a peaceful resolution. It has thus far been unsuccessful in doing so,” she said.
Responding to a question on the U.S. pressing for sanctions on Iran on account of its nuclear programme, while taking no action against Israel, which is in violation of several United Nations resolutions, apart from not being a signatory to the NPT, Ms. Clinton quipped: “Well, I don't think we have convinced India to sign the NPT either.”
“It isn't the only country causing worry. We worry regarding nuclear weapons proliferating in some other countries,” Ms. Clinton said, adding that the biggest fear was that nuclear weapons may fall into the wrong hands.
At this moment in time, the “ principal threat is a nuclear-armed Iran,” she said, alleging that the country was a “state sponsor of terrorism.” She cited the recent attack on Israeli diplomats in Delhi, and a plot to kill the Saudi Arabian Ambassador to the U.S. — both allegedly planned by the Iranian government — as examples.
“The problems with Iran go far beyond this region,” she said, adding that the U.S. continues to press for a resolution, particularly on Palestinian issues which concern the U.S. too.
She added, that if put in Israel's position, with the “leaders of a country saying that they want to wipe you off a map, they want to destroy you, they want to end the presence of the Jewish people,” it would be worrying.
“Israel is very worried that if Iran were to get a nuclear weapon, then there might be some leaders in the future who might use it,” she said.
Published - May 08, 2012 02:00 am IST
