Israel to Delay on Non-proliferation Treaty Pending Non-nuclear Meet

A Foreign Ministry spokesman said that Israel will make its stand known on the draft treaty for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons after the conclusion of the conference of non-nuclear powers which opened in Geneva today. Israel is represented at the meeting by a delegation headed by Ambassador Mordechai Kidron, Israel’s permanent delegate to United Nations organs. The spokesman pointed out that the conference was consultative and cannot take decisions binding on the participants.

Israel, like many other nations, big and small, has refrained from signing the draft because of what It regards as a lack of safeguards, particularly for small non-nuclear powers. Israel has pointed out that the draft treaty as it now stands contains insufficient guarantees to a small nation if it Is attacked by a nuclear power. It is also feared here that the development of nuclear energy for peaceful uses in smaller states may suffer unless the nuclear powers specifically pledge that all progress In the field will be shared with all signatory powers.