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Mideast rivals Israel and Syria on Tuesday each announced ambitions to develop nuclear energy, with Israel facing the prospect that its plan could bring new international attention to its secretive nuclear activities.
Both countries laid out their hopes at an international conference on civilian nuclear energy at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Civilian nuclear energy contributes far less to global warming than burning of fossil fuels but worries many because of the risks of long-term waste storage and the possibility of proliferation.
"We need this energy source because it is environmentally clean," Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau told The Associated Press in Paris. He called Israel's need for nuclear energy "imminent" but gave no timeline for an atomic power plant.
In an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Landau said his country would open up any nuclear plants to international inspections — but said he saw no reason for his country to allow inspectors into what are believed to be nuclear weapons sites, or to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Landau's announcement Tuesday could complicate U.S.-led efforts to impose a new round of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to cooperate with international nuclear inspectors. Tehran says its uranium enrichment activities are peaceful but several world powers suspect it is seeking weapons.
Iran and North Korea, whose nuclear program has also drawn international scorn, were not invited to the conference.
Landau stood firm against Iran's nuclear plans. Israel has never openly acknowledged being a nuclear power, following a policy it calls "nuclear ambiguity."
"When it comes to Iran, you have a country that openly speaks about the destruction of a United Nations member state (Israel)," Landau told The AP. "Why does a poor country in the Middle East have to put so much economic resources (into nuclear activities) instead of feeding its own people, unless they have other ambitions, purposes on their minds?"
Minutes after Landau spoke at the conference, another of Israel's rivals, Syria, expressed nuclear interest.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad said his country "calls for the need to consider alternative energy sources, including nuclear energy" to meet its growing demands.
Both countries laid out their hopes at an international conference on civilian nuclear energy at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Civilian nuclear energy contributes far less to global warming than burning of fossil fuels but worries many because of the risks of long-term waste storage and the possibility of proliferation.
"We need this energy source because it is environmentally clean," Israeli Infrastructure Minister Uzi Landau told The Associated Press in Paris. He called Israel's need for nuclear energy "imminent" but gave no timeline for an atomic power plant.
In an interview on the sidelines of the conference, Landau said his country would open up any nuclear plants to international inspections — but said he saw no reason for his country to allow inspectors into what are believed to be nuclear weapons sites, or to sign the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Landau's announcement Tuesday could complicate U.S.-led efforts to impose a new round of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to cooperate with international nuclear inspectors. Tehran says its uranium enrichment activities are peaceful but several world powers suspect it is seeking weapons.
Iran and North Korea, whose nuclear program has also drawn international scorn, were not invited to the conference.
Landau stood firm against Iran's nuclear plans. Israel has never openly acknowledged being a nuclear power, following a policy it calls "nuclear ambiguity."
"When it comes to Iran, you have a country that openly speaks about the destruction of a United Nations member state (Israel)," Landau told The AP. "Why does a poor country in the Middle East have to put so much economic resources (into nuclear activities) instead of feeding its own people, unless they have other ambitions, purposes on their minds?"
Minutes after Landau spoke at the conference, another of Israel's rivals, Syria, expressed nuclear interest.
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad said his country "calls for the need to consider alternative energy sources, including nuclear energy" to meet its growing demands.
