“WAR-MONGERERS BECOME PRISONERS OF THEIR OWN WORDS”

Interview with Hermann Scheer

[This interview is translated from the German on the World Wide Web, Hermann Scheer, founder of EuroSolar and winner of the Alternative Nobel Prize, is an SPD (social democrat) member of the German Bundestag.]



Compact: Mr. Scheer, the US openly threatens a military intervention in Iran. In your opinion, is there a military option?

Hermann Scheer: A military option must be excluded. Threat makes war-mongerers into prisoners of their own words.

The same problem is raised in Iran as previously in Pakistan, India and North Korea. Civil nuclear technology is often used for military goals. What conclusions must be drawn?

The conclusion is that the peaceful use of nuclear energy must be ended.

For years, the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEO) has supervised the Iranian nuclear program and was even honored with a Nobel Prize for Peace for its work. How do you judge the work of the organization?

The IAEO plays a very ambivalent role with its two official mandates: assistance in transferring “civil nuclear technology” and prevention of diverting nuclear-weapon-grade materials for weapons production. The IAEO is an arsonist and fire department at the same time. That is the problem of nuclear technology.

The US recently recognized India as a nuclear power although the country – unlike Iran – refuses to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty. What are the consequences of this step?

The consequence is that all regional powers whose nuclear armament could not be prevented will ultimately be recognized as nuclear powers. The core of the problem is that the nuclear powers refuse to meet their obligation to nuclear disarmament from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. They are more in violation of the treaty than Iran at present. A “two-class-international law” between nuclear weapon states and non-nuclear weapon states is impossible. The demand for general nuclear weapon disarmament must be in the center of international discussion.