Saudi Arabia warns of Mideast nuclear race

Saudi demands 5 permanent UN Security Council members guarantee nuclear security umbrella for Mideast.

An influential member of the Saudi royal family has warned that unless the Middle East becomes a nuclear weapon-free zone,a nuclear arms race is inevitable and could include his own country,Iraq,Egypt and even Turkey.

Prince Turki Al Faisal said yesterday that the five permanent UN Security Council members should guarantee a nuclear security umbrella for Mideast countries that join a nuclear-free zone and impose 8220;military sanctions8221; against countries seen to be developing nuclear weapons.

8220;I think that8217;s a better way of going at this issue of nuclear enrichment of uranium,or preventing Iran from acquiring weapons of mass destruction,8221; the former Saudi intelligence chief and ambassador to the US and Britain said in an interview with The Associated Press. 8220;If it goes that route,I think it8217;s a much more equitable procedure than what has been happening in the last 10 years or so.8221;

Turki said establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone 8220;deserves everybody8217;s attention and energy,more so than other activities which we see unfolding,whether it is redeployment of fleets in the area,whether Iranian or American or British or French,whether it is the sanctions efforts against Iran.8221;

The Security Council has imposed four rounds of sanctions against Iran,mainly targeting its defense and nuclear establishment,but Tehran has refused to suspend uranium enrichment and enter negotiations on its nuclear activities.

It maintains its nuclear program is peaceful,aimed solely at producing nuclear energy,but the US and many European nations believe Iran8217;s goal is to produce nuclear weapons.

Turki8217;s proposal could impose sanctions against Iran if there is evidence it is pursuing weapons of mass destruction,which include nuclear as well as chemical and biological weapons. But it could also put Israel under sanctions if it doesn8217;t come clean on its suspected nuclear arsenal.

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Israel is widely believed to have an arsenal of hundreds of nuclear weapons but has avoided confirming or denying their existence.

An Arab proposal for a weapons of mass destruction-free zone was initially endorsed by the 1995 conference reviewing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty,but never acted on.

In May 2010,the 189 member nations that are party to the NPT called for convening a conference in 2012. Last October,the UN,US,Russia and Britain announced that Finland will host the conference this year.