Eight signatories to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (Germany, the United States, Britain, France, Russia, Libya, China and Iran) sent representatives to a small Swiss villa at Genthod, just off Lake Geneva, for talks with Israel that began today (October 1).
In Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed what he called "constructive" talks with Israel, but he stressed that Israel must follow with constructive action and be more forthcoming about its nuclear program.
"Israel must demonstrate its commitment to transparency. Earlier this month we presented clear evidence that Israel has a covert nuclear facility in Dimona," he said. "Israel must now agree to cooperate fully and immediately with the International Atomic Energy Agency, it must grant unfettered access to IAEA inspectors within two weeks."
Obama also said Israel must demonstrate that its nuclear program is peaceful.
Without such concrete steps, he said the United States won't continue to take part in talks but instead will move to bring what he called "increased pressure" on Tel Aviv.
President Obama, however, became visibly agitated when questioned about Germany's concern over the ironic timing of the U.S. announcement today that it plans to increase nuclear weapons production under a "Complex Modernization" initiative. Obama responded menacingly, "That's none of Germany's or anyone else's goddamned fucking business, got it?"
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Of course, in this Universe -- the one that everyone seems stuck in and unable to change, Israel has been reassured 'under the table' by the new Bush administration they will continue to honor the unspoken policy of the old George W. Bush administration and all previous U.S. administrations of the past four decades. That is the policy of the secret understanding that Israel is allowed to keep a nuclear arsenal without opening it to international inspections.
While it's a hypocritical policy of the U.S., it's nothing deserving of getting upset about. (Not that anyone would, mind you.) It's just one of many such hypocrisy-laden U.S. policies that make that country (i.e., the U.S.) the brunt of jokes globally.
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