Passion Islam I November 2009 ORLD NEWSW I 15
Bahrain votes to end
contacts with Israel
Bahrain’s Parliament approved Israeli officials. Israeli delegates have He said it would be “embarrassing
legislation penalising contacts with managed to participate in events in for the government” if the bill — which
Israel. Arab countries with no treaties with will be transferred to the upper
“Whoever holds any communication Israel.” house sometime in November — is
or official talks with Israeli officials Bahrain’s Crown Prince Sheikh postponed or blocked because it
or travels to Israel will face a fine ... Salman bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa would be obstructing the will of the
and/or a jail sentence of three to five wrote in the Washington Post in July Bahraini people.
years,” member of Parliament Jalal that Arabs had not done enough to Bahraini officials visited Israel in
Fairooz from the Shiite Al-Wefaq communicate directly with Israelis. July in an official capacity for the first
bloc, an opposition group that was the “We believe that establishing time to collect five of their nationals
driving force behind the move. contacts with the Zionist enemy is Israel was deporting after seizing them
“The motivation is that steps are an offense punishable by law,” said on a ship bound for the Palestinian
being taken by certain countries to Nasser al-Fadhallah, a conservative territory of Gaza, blockaded by
allow certain talks to be held with lawmaker. Israel.
Iran denies ‘secret Israel talks’
Iran has denied newspaper reports closed doors, and all participants Jordan, Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey,
that its officials held secret talks committed to complete secrecy to Morocco, the United Arab Emirates
recently with their Israeli counterparts allow a full and frank discussion, the and Saudi Arabia, along with
to explore the possibility of declaring paper said. European and American officials.
the Middle East a nuclear-free But it added that news of the talks During the meetings, Zafary-Odiz
zone. was leaked by Australian sources to explained the Israeli policy of being
The Haaretz reported that Meirav the Australian daily, The Age. willing, in principle, to discuss the
Zafary-Odiz, of the Israel Atomic The reported meetings came Middle East as a nuclear-free zone,
Energy Commission, and Ali Asghar amid controversy over Iran’s nuclear according to Haaretz.
Soltanieh, Iran’s ambassador to programme. Western countries, The paper added that she
the International Atomic Energy notably the US, accuse Tehran of detailed Israel’s unique strategic
Agency (IAEA), met several times seeking to develop atomic weapons, situation, saying regional security
on September 29 and 30 in Cairo, but Iran insists its nuclear facilities must be strengthened, security
the Egyptian capital. are for non-military use. arrangements agreed upon and a
But Ali Shirzadia, the spokesman Israel, which neither denies nor peace agreement sealed before Tel
for the Islamic Republic’s atomic confirms possession of nuclear Aviv would feel at liberty to discuss
energy organisation, said there was weapons, is said to have any where nuclear disarmament.
no truth in the claim. between 100 and 200 nuclear The exchanges between the two
“This lie is a kind of psychological warheads, making it the sixth-largest officials took place within three panel
operation designed to affect the nuclear power. sessions, the paper reported.
constant success of Iran’s dynamic Iran is a signatory to the Nuclear Each session dealt with one of
diplomacy in the Geneva and Vienna Non-Proliferataion Treaty (NPT), but the issues with which the ICNND
meetings,” Shirzadia was quoted by Israel is not. is concerned - declaring the Middle
Iran state television’s website on Haaretz reported the meetings East a nuclear-free zone, preventing
Thursday as saying. were held at the Four Seasons nuclear proliferation in the region
The Haaretz report said that Hotel under the auspices of the and matters of nuclear energy for
the talks in Cairo were the first International Commission on Nuclear peaceful purposes.
direct meeting between official Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Zafary-Odiz and Soltanieh did
representatives of the two countries (ICNND). not meet or shake hands outside the
since the fall of the Shah in 1979. They were also attended by sessions.
The meetings were held behind representatives of the Arab League, www.passionislam.com
www.passionislam.com
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