at an appropriate time. |
Barring exceptional circumstances and provided there is the sustained, proactive cooperation by Iraq, we should be able in the next few months to provide credible assurance that Iraq has no nuclear weapons program, |
Barring exceptional circumstances and provided there is the sustained, proactive cooperation by Iraq, we should be able in the next few months to provide credible assurance that Iraq has no nuclear weapons program. |
Because if you have the fissile material, you are a few months away from the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, should you decide to do that. And that margin of security is very, very close for comfort. |
But if the material is there or is stored, it will not send a signature. It will not leave fingerprints and that will be difficult to detect through technical means. We will have to rely on human intelligence. |
But just in the past few years, we have witnessed a significant change in attitudes toward nuclear power, |
But luckily, I think, we are here when they have not developed a full-fledged capability and luckily also they have announced that they are ready to eliminate all programs relevant to weapons of mass destruction, which I think is a very good step in the right direction. |
but we cannot be 100 percent sure. |
Challenging the integrity of the non-proliferation regime is a matter which can affect international peace and security. |
Despite the unfortunate rhetoric, they are still cooperating with the agency, |
Due process, therefore, must take its course before the Secretariat (the IAEA administration) is able to submit a detailed report. |
Escalation is not going to help a situation that is highly volatile in the Middle East. |
Essential work still remains to be completed. |
Everybody is looking forward to a political settlement, What we need at this stage is cool- headed approaches. We need for people to lower the rhetoric. |
Everybody's still talking about diplomacy and I'm very hopeful that as long as we talk about diplomacy, as long as we're not talking about enforcement measures, sanctions, et cetera, we are on the right track. But we need to accelerate the process. |