YA'ALON: IRAQI NUCLEAR PROGRAM IS BACK ON TRACK

ISRAEL LINE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1997

   Maj. Gen. Moshe Ya'alon, Head of Israel Defense Forces Intelligence,
spoke on Tuesday about Iraq's non-conventional weapons programs, HA'ARETZ
reported.
  Speaking before the Knesset's Committee on Foreign and Security Affairs,
Ya'alon said that within a year, Iraq's nuclear weapons development will
reach the same stage it had achieved in 1990, prior to the Gulf War. Ya'alon
explained that Iraq still has the necessary knowledge and professional
manpower, and now only needs the raw materials to realize its nuclear
capability.
  Regarding Iran, Ya'alon mentioned that despite official Russian denials,
Russian scientists continue to work on Iran's nuclear weapons program.  He
also said that the United States is attempting to halt Russian support of
Iran's effort to develop long-range missiles capable of reaching Israel.






ISRAEL LINE