Israel, Germany plan int'l conference to stop Iran nuclear program

JERUSALEM, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Germany will try to initiate an international conference aimed at stopping Iran's controversial nuclear program, local daily Ha'aretz reported Friday on its website.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who arrived in Israel Sunday for a three-day visit, agreed on the plan during their working meeting in Jerusalem on Monday, the report said.

Olmert and Merkel discussed ways to step up international pressure on Iran that has developed following the third round of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), according to Ha'aretz.

The sanctions resolution, adopted by the UNSC on March 3, called for more travel and financial curbs on Iranian individuals and companies and made some restrictions mandatory.

It also expanded a previous partial ban on trade in items with both civilian and military uses to cover sales of all such technology to Iran.

Olmert suggested holding an international conference on Iran, a senior Israeli source disclosed, adding that a widely supported international gathering would initiate diplomatic pressure on Iran.

The two leaders decided to advance the initiative and will try to enlist other states to back it, including the U.S., France, Britain, Russia and China, as well as other European states and Arab countries, according to the source.

Israel hopes that states from the moderate Sunni bloc in the Middle East, such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and others would take part in the conference.

The UNSC has already adopted two resolutions -- one in December2006 and the other in March of 2007 -- in attempts to force Iran to suspend uranium enrichment activities and to give up its nuclear programs.

The United States has accused Iran of trying to develop nuclear weapons under the cover of a civilian nuclear program. Iran has denied U.S. charges and insisted that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.