JAPAN: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a visit to Tokyo reiterates his concerns over Iran's nuclear programme

Record ID: 398563

  • Title: JAPAN: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on a visit to Tokyo reiterates his concerns over Iran's nuclear programme
  • Date: 12th May 2014
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MAY 12, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SHOUTING VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS STANDING OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER'S RESIDENCE AND SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) PROTESTER, KOJI SUGIHARA, SAYING: "Both sides are using the theme of stabilising the region as an excuse to build closer ties between their security and defence industries and trying to make Japan a merc
  • Embargoed: 27th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAAF7DST959TB28TECAO0CLFTR2
  • Story Text: Iran's nuclear programme is a clear and present danger and it cannot be allowed to get the capability to make nuclear arms, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday (May 12), adding that he hopes upcoming talks will prevent this.
    Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, early on Monday described as "stupid and idiotic" Western expectations for his country to curb its missile development, taking a defiant tone ahead of another round of nuclear talks.
    In Japan for meetings with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other officials, Netanyahu compared the threat posed by Iran to that of North Korea, which this weekend renewed a threat to conduct a nuclear test amid rising worries that the reclusive state may set off an atomic device for the fourth time.
    Netanyahu, in a joint news conference with Abe, told reporters that both nations faced the challenge of "rogue states arming themselves with nuclear weapons."
    "Like North Korea before it, Iran want to keep its military capabilities, military nuclear capabilities, while easing the sanctions that are applied to it," Netanyahu added.
    "We cannot let the Ayatollahs win. We cannot enable the world's foremost terrorist states to get the capabilities to make nuclear weapons. That would be a grave danger to the peace of the world."
    Iran and the United States, France, Germany, Britain, China and Russia will meet in Vienna on Tuesday to try and iron out differences over how to end a long standoff over suspicions that Tehran has sought the means to develop nuclear weapons.
    Iran denies accusations that it is seeking a nuclear weapons capability and insists that its missile programme, one of the biggest in the Middle East, is part of its conventional armed forces.
    North Korea has a stockpile of missiles and concern is growing about whether it is on the path to developing a nuclear arsenal.
    "I explained Japan's policy of pro-active contribution to peace and the situation of a more challenging security environment that is developing in East Asia to which Prime Minister Netanyahu showed support and understanding," Abe said.
    About 30 people protesting against Netanyahu's visit gathered outside the prime minister's residence where the talks were held.
    "Both sides are using the theme of stabilising the region as an excuse to build closer ties between their security and defence industries and trying to make Japan a merchant of death or a society under surveillance. The meetings will add momentum to this and we have come to oppose it," said 48-year-old Koji Sugihara.
    Netanyahu arrived in Japan on Sunday (May 11) and will remain in Japan until Thursday (May 15), meeting with business leaders and officials such as Defence Minister Itsunori Onodera.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register