 German Chancellor Angela Merkel has used her first visit to Israel to deliver a strong criticism of Iran, saying it threatens not only the Jewish state but the entire democratic world.
Ms Merkel spoke after meeting interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who expressed Israel's concern at Iran's nuclear program. She says Germany and Israel are in total agreement on the subject of Tehran's plans to produce nuclear fuel by enriching uranium, a process of purifying uranium for use in atomic power plants or weapons. Israel sees Iran's nuclear program as a threat to its existence and has even hinted that it could use military force to prevent Tehran from getting a bomb.
| Nice to see that at least one Euro has noticed that Iran's also a threat to European existence. I'm not sure what part of "world domination" the rest of them can't comprehend. |
Ms Merkel also condemned Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for his anti-Israeli remarks. "It's unacceptable that Iran's president rejects and falsifies history," she said.
| And we thought Julius Streicher was dead... |
Mr Olmert thanked Ms Merkel for supporting Israel on the question of Iran's nuclear program, saying: "It is a topic that causes great concern here in Israel".
| Since they're the first target... |
Germany, France and Britain have been trying for more than two years to persuade Tehran to give up enrichment in exchange for political and economic incentives but Iran has refused. The EU3 have now joined Washington in calling for the United Nations Security Council, which has the power to impose sanctions, to take up the matter. On Monday, senior EU3 officials meet with US, Russian and Chinese officials in London to discuss Iran.
| Vlad and Hu don't think "world domination" includes them... |
On the same day, Iran will meet diplomats from Britain, France and Germany in Brussels, a Tehran Foreign Ministry spokesman says. Iran insisted on Sunday the only solution to its nuclear dispute with the West was negotiations rather than referral of its atomic dossier to the United Nations Security Council. "The only way to reach an understanding and to get out of the current situation is talks," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi told a weekly news conference in Tehran.
| If you yap continuously for three years and nothing comes of it, people are going to wonder if anything's going to happen in year four. Personally, I have my doubts. |
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