CAN YOU STATE THE OFFICIAL ISRAELI POLICY AS TO THEIR POSITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS BY ISRAEL OR BY OTHER ...?

Well when it comes to Israel's position our policy is not to be the first to introduce nuclear weapons into the region, which the meaning of it is that Israel is not a nuclear country. Why? First we believe that the best way to Israel and to the other countries in the region, is to have the Middle East free from any nuclear weapons. As you know, Israel took the initiative to have the original agreement between the countries of the region to keep the Middle East free from nuclear weapon. Uh, this is a specific agreement that has, has to be signed between all the countries of the region. Unfortunately, most of the Arab countries rejected the idea that such an agreement will be reached in the context of the bilateral or the multilateral relationship of the Middle Eastern countries. We believe that basically Israel must have the capability to reach that at the present and in the future. And coalition, war coalition of Arab countries that...use their conventional weapons against Israel by Israel's conventional weapon. We don't believe that we can allow a situation to develop that Israel will not be able to defend itself against the threat of the Arab countries by conventional weapons/ by something which is not convention, because I believe when Israel will reach the point that by its conventional weapon, it hasn't got the solution to such eventuality that it will be a question mark on the existence of Israel and its political viability. At the same time and as a result of it, we don't want to see Arab countries trying to introduce nuclear weapons into the Middle East. Therefore, our policy is on one hand, not to be the first; second, trying politically to reach an agreement what will keep the region free from nuclear weapon. Three, we know that without having the capability to defend ourselves by conventional weapons against conventional weapons of any Arab co... war coalition, we will be in a very poor shape. And therefore, four, to prevent to the extent it is possible the introduction of nuclear weapon by any Arab country that it is at state of war with Israel.

COULD YOU ENVISION THAT IN THE FUTURE THERE MIGHT BE A SITUATION OF MUTUAL DETERRENCE, OF THE KIND THAT EXISTS BETWEEN US AND USSR?

Well, allow me to say there always a limitation to our capabilities to become prophet what will happen, 10, 20, 30 years from now. There are no doubt, if there will be introduction of nuclear weapons to the context of the Arab-Israeli conflict, both sides will be more nervous, less secure and therefore, the further we can prevent it, it's better to the region, to all the countries of the region.

YOUR PREDECESSOR, DAYAN, AT ONE TIME FELT THAT THERE MIGHT BE AN EXCHANGEABILITY BETWEEN CONVENTIONAL AND HE CALLED IT... WEAPONS.

I don't remember what Dayan said but I tried to explain very clearly what I believe in. And I believe that Israel must find, to any foreseeable future, to any threat that can be presented by the Arab countries by their conventional weapons, a conventional weapon ... by Israel. I can't believe to the extent that I can predict the future that it is impossible to Israel to do it. I would not deny in the context of any political or peace negotiations. Therefore, one of my major considerations is to have a defensible boundaries. Defensible boundaries that have to bear in mind the potential conventional weapon threat even after peace will be signed. This is why I oppose and continue to oppose in a context of peace treaty with our neighboring Arab countries to return to the passage their war aligns.

CAN YOU GIVE ME POLICY FRAME OR THE STRATEGY FRAME THAT PRODUCES AN ATTACK ON IRAQ, ON THE IRAQI REACTOR?

Well, I believe, even though I was not then in the government of Israel that took the decision, the purpose was to destroy the Iraqi potentialities to produce a nuclear weapons. This was the reasoning and no doubt it was successful. And no doubt it postponed for a long period, even the thinking about capability that was translated into deeds by this strike on the center of nuclear development.

DO YOU SEE AN EXTENSION OF SUCH POLICY?

I say sir, I believe that the, the less of the longer it will take. But till nuclear weapons will be introduced to the region, to the better for all the people. What kind of means Israel will use, I don't believe it is advisable now to ....

CAN YOU FORESEE A CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH ISRAEL WILL JOIN THE NP TREATY?

Well the problem with the NPT which we are basically for this ... as long as it will really commit all the countries of the region depends on their readiness, the Middle Arab-Middle Eastern countries, it might be also the Islamic Middle Eastern country not just to sign the NPT because any one of the Arab treaties that sign the NPT at the close it is not related to Israel. Therefore what is the meaning of signing the NPT? Therefore we propose instead of the NPT a Middle Eastern multinational that one country, Israel with Syria, Jerusalem, Iraq, Egypt, you name it, will sign agreement in which they are committed one to another not to develop nuclear weapons. And within this agreement to establish our means of supervision on which we will agree. One, about the, the others, but they refuse to have such agreement. Therefore, the NPT has no meaning because for example, Iraq has signed on the NPT and the Iraq will develop, Iraq develop which we destroyed in the past. Therefore, signing the NPT doesn't really mean very much.