'I don't think Iran is serious about ending its nuclear program'

Iran is likely to use talks planned with world powers next week to buy more time for advancing its disputed nuclear program and it is "very good at playing this kind of chess game," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday.

Israel feels menaced by the likelihood that its arch-foe Iran is developing nuclear weapons, though Iran insists its nuclear program has only peaceful aims.

"Obviously it would be better to see this issue resolved diplomatically," Netanyahu said outside Prague Castle while on an official visit to the Czech capital, in his first direct comment on the pending Baghdad meeting between Iran and the five permanent UN Security Council members and Germany.

"But I have to say that I have seen no evidence whatsoever that Iran is serious about ending its nuclear program," Netanayhu told reporters.

Netanyahu said Iran may be using talks as a game in which it agrees to something but does not implement it, or agrees to implement something that would not derail its program.

"It looks as though they see the talks as another opportunity to delay and deceive and buy time, pretty much as North Korea did for many years," he said. "Iran is very good in playing this kind of chess game, and you know sometimes you have to sacrifice a pawn to save the king."

On Thursday, Netanyahu praised the Czech Republic, calling it Israel's best friend on the European continent, days after Prague joined other EU nations in condemning Israeli settlement construction in territories claimed by Palestinians for a future state.

Netanyahu was visiting along with other top Israeli officials, including Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman; Welfare and Social Services Minister Moshe Kahlon; Transportation and Road Safety Minister Yisrael Katz; Culture and Sport Minister Limor Livnat; Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Shalom Simhon; and Science and Technology Minister Daniel Hershkowitz.

"Israel has no better friend in Europe than the Czech Republic," Netanyahu said. "It's very much valued to have a decent, fair-minded friend like the Czech Republic."

After their meeting, the Czech and Israeli ministers signed cooperation agreements in fields including foreign affairs, transportation, research and construction.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas assured the Israelis of Czech support, adding, "We strictly refuse any delegitimization and boycott of the State of Israel."

In a statement Monday, foreign ministers of the 27-nation EU emphasized that "settlements remain illegal under international law." They reiterated that the EU would not recognize any changes to Israel's lines before the 1967 Six-Day War, when it captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Though unusually strong, the statement would likely have been harsher if not for the involvement of Israeli allies such as the Czechs.

In the brief appearance before reporters, Necas insisted Thursday that "only direct talks" between Israel and the Palestinians could lead to "a lasting peace."

The Czech government pushed for closer ties between the EU and Israel when it held the 27-nation bloc's rotating presidency last year.

Meanwhile, the European Jewish Congress (EJC) held its executive meeting in Prague on Friday. An EJC delegation met with Necas to discuss how to deal with the threats of rising neo-Nazism, which has exploited the economic situation, the incitement and attacks from Muslim extremists and a possibly unprecedented rise in anti-Semitism in Europe due to events in the Middle East.

The Czech prime minister said he would endorse a plan to tackle these threats and agreed to promote it among other leaders in Europe. “We thanked Prime Minister Necas for his endorsement and noted the low levels of anti-Semitism in the Czech Republic. We hope that this can serve as a model for other parts of Europe,” EJC President Dr. Moshe Kantor said.

טעינו? נתקן! אם מצאתם טעות בכתבה, נשמח שתשתפו אותנו