Published Date: June 29, 2008

JERUSALEM: The Israeli military says the chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff is in Israel for talks and briefings and a defense officials says he has discussed Iran's nuclear ambitions with Defense Minister Ehud Barak. The military spokesman's office said Adm Mike Mullen arrived on Friday and was scheduled to hold talks with Israeli armed forces chief, Lt Gen Gabi Ashkenazi, hear intelligence briefings and visit Israel's northern and southern borders.

An Israeli defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity as no official statement had been authorized, said that at their meeting Barak and Mullen discussed "several regional issues, among them the matter of Iran." Mullen was last in Israel in November, the first visit by a US military chief in a decade.
US defense officials suggested last week that a recent Israeli military exercise over the Mediterranean was a dress rehearsal for an Israeli strike against Iran, which Israel and the United States say is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

But the Greek government, which took part in the exercise, rejected that assessment and some observers have said the disclosure of the maneuvers was aimed at getting the international community to step up diplomatic pressure on Iran which says it only seeks nuclear energy for peaceful means. The Israeli military said Mullen's visit had been arranged in advance and was part of routine contacts between the two allies. - AP

 

 

//onblass.com/news1