By Abdelwaheb El Gueyed
VIENNA, Sept 13 (KUNA) -- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors kicked off meetings here Monday amidst "severe" split over Middle East nuclear proliferation, especially in Iran, Israel and Syria.
Head of the Mission of the Arab League in Vienna Dr. Mikhail Wehbe told KUNA prior to the meetings that "heated" discussions are expected to take place over the Israeli nuclear capabilities, especially with the lack of international monitoring on them. Determination of NAM (Non-Aligned Movement) states and the Arab group to discuss the Israeli nuclear dossier in the meetings is based primarily on last week's report by IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano for inspecting Israeli nuclear sites, Wehbe said.
Israel still refuses to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Terming Yukiya's report "disappointing", Wehbe stressed that the Arab group refuses the West's approach of shifting focus from the Israeli file to the ones of Syria and Iran.
The IAEA chief had written to all IAEA member states to give their views on the watchdog's general congress resolutions last year, urging Israel to join the NPT and to allow international inspectors to check its nuclear sites.
IAEA reports to be discussed in the meetings said Iran is moving forward with its nuclear activities and is ignoring all international sanctions imposed.
It also said that "secrecy" adopted by Syria is thwarting the probe on the 2007 Israeli raid on Dir al-Zour nuclear facility; an allegation refused by Damascus. (end) amg.hb KUNA 131709 Sep 10NNNN