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Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 4:54 AM on 24th May 2010
Read more: Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online
Apartheid era documents declassified by South Africa have revealed the nation was offered nuclear weapons by Israel in 1975.
In top secret meetings between South African defence minister PW Botha and his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres, who is now the country's president, South Africa was offered nuclear warheads 'in three sizes'.
Documents proving the meeting and offer occurred were recently declassified by South Africa's ANC government, despite pressure from Israel for them to remain secret.
The details were discovered by U.S. academic Sasha Polakow-Suransky while researching a book on the two countries' close relationship, The Guardian reported.
The timing of the release is poor for Israel, which is currently involved in U.N. nuclear non-proliferation talks in New York, with discussions centring on the Middle East.
It also damages Israel's claim that if it has nuclar weapons, it is a responsible power that would not misuse them. The country has a policy of neither confirming nor denying whether it has a nuclear arsenal.
South African documents show the country wanted the Jericho missiles as a means of deterring its enemies, including neighbouring nations and was offered the firepower on March 31, 1975.
A secret memo written by South African military chief of staff General RF Armstrong read: 'In considering the merits of a weapon system such as the one being offered, certain assumptions have been made: a) that the missiles will be armed with nuclear warheads...'
When the countries met again on June 4, 1975, they had code-named the project Chalet. Minutes of the meeting reveal that South Africa was ready to order the weapons if the 'correct payload' was available.
The transaction eventually fell through.
The documents corroberate claims by former South African naval commander Dieter Gerhardt, who was jailed in 1983 for spying on the Soviet Union, that identified Chalet by name.
Mordechai Vanunu published photos and descriptions of nuclear manufacturing processes used by Israel in the Sunday Times in 1986, but - like Gerhardt - could not provide documents to support his information.
Read more: Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online
Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online
By Mail Foreign Service
Last updated at 4:54 AM on 24th May 2010
Read more: Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online
Apartheid era documents declassified by South Africa have revealed the nation was offered nuclear weapons by Israel in 1975.
In top secret meetings between South African defence minister PW Botha and his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres, who is now the country's president, South Africa was offered nuclear warheads 'in three sizes'.
Documents proving the meeting and offer occurred were recently declassified by South Africa's ANC government, despite pressure from Israel for them to remain secret.
The details were discovered by U.S. academic Sasha Polakow-Suransky while researching a book on the two countries' close relationship, The Guardian reported.
The timing of the release is poor for Israel, which is currently involved in U.N. nuclear non-proliferation talks in New York, with discussions centring on the Middle East.
It also damages Israel's claim that if it has nuclar weapons, it is a responsible power that would not misuse them. The country has a policy of neither confirming nor denying whether it has a nuclear arsenal.
South African documents show the country wanted the Jericho missiles as a means of deterring its enemies, including neighbouring nations and was offered the firepower on March 31, 1975.
A secret memo written by South African military chief of staff General RF Armstrong read: 'In considering the merits of a weapon system such as the one being offered, certain assumptions have been made: a) that the missiles will be armed with nuclear warheads...'
When the countries met again on June 4, 1975, they had code-named the project Chalet. Minutes of the meeting reveal that South Africa was ready to order the weapons if the 'correct payload' was available.
The transaction eventually fell through.
The documents corroberate claims by former South African naval commander Dieter Gerhardt, who was jailed in 1983 for spying on the Soviet Union, that identified Chalet by name.
Mordechai Vanunu published photos and descriptions of nuclear manufacturing processes used by Israel in the Sunday Times in 1986, but - like Gerhardt - could not provide documents to support his information.
Read more: Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online
Revealed: Israeli defence minister offered nuclear weapons to South Africa | Mail Online