JERUSALEM, July 8: UN nuclear chief Mohamed ElBaradei said he had won a promise from Israel on Thursday to consider discuss establishing a nuclear weapons-free zone in the Middle East.

But Mr Ariel Sharon did not set a timeframe for Israel to back off on its refusal to discuss such issues while it still faces attacks from Palestinian groups and hostility from Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) head ElBaradei said after talks with the prime minister.

Mr ElBaradei said Mr Sharon had told him "Israel's policy continues to be that, in the context of peace in the Middle East, Israel would be looking favorably to the establishment of a nuclear weapons-free zone. -AFP