Sunday, October 18, 2009

Australia brokers Israel-Iran talks


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Iran map (AAP)
Australia has achieved a diplomatic coup, encouraging Iran and Israel to the negotiating table on nuclear weapons.
Fairfax newspapers report that a meeting between Israeli and Iranian officials was brokered by Australia and took place in Cairo at a meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament, an expert panel assembled by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
The talks led to a "very robust exchange", a source said, occurring days after Iran, a nation suspected of having nuclear weapons ambitions, revealed it had built a uranium enrichment plant.
Sources told Fairfax there were "serious discussions" between Iran and Israel, and while they did not claim a substantial breakthrough from the talks, the prospect of a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East was discussed.
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