JERUSALEM (AFP) — Israeli military chief of staff Lieutenant General Gaby Ashkenazi heads to the United States on Friday evening for a five-day working visit, the military said.
He is scheduled to hold talks with National Security Advisor General James Jones and other officials, and will be the guest of honour at the annual "supporters of the IDF (Israeli army)" convention in New York City.
Israeli media said his talks will focus on Iran's nuclear programme.
Military intelligence chief Major General Amos Yadlin claimed last week that Iran was using trying to use talks with Western powers on its nuclear ambitions to buy time to produce an atomic bomb.
And US intelligence chief Dennis Blair warned on Tuesday that it will be "difficult" to convince Iran to give up its suspected quest for nuclear weapons through diplomatic means.
The five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany announced earlier this month that they were ready for direct talks with Iran to resolve the long-running crisis.
Israel, widely believed to have the Middle East's sole nuclear arsenal, accuses Iran of seeking to develop a bomb but Iran insists its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved
He is scheduled to hold talks with National Security Advisor General James Jones and other officials, and will be the guest of honour at the annual "supporters of the IDF (Israeli army)" convention in New York City.
Israeli media said his talks will focus on Iran's nuclear programme.
Military intelligence chief Major General Amos Yadlin claimed last week that Iran was using trying to use talks with Western powers on its nuclear ambitions to buy time to produce an atomic bomb.
And US intelligence chief Dennis Blair warned on Tuesday that it will be "difficult" to convince Iran to give up its suspected quest for nuclear weapons through diplomatic means.
The five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany announced earlier this month that they were ready for direct talks with Iran to resolve the long-running crisis.
Israel, widely believed to have the Middle East's sole nuclear arsenal, accuses Iran of seeking to develop a bomb but Iran insists its nuclear programme is for purely peaceful purposes.
Copyright © 2009 AFP. All rights reserved
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