Nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East – First Cttee debate – Verbatim record (excerpts)

Official Records

General Assembly

Fifty-fifth session

First Committee

24th meeting

Friday, 27 October 2000, 10 a.m.

New York

President:  Mr. U Mya Than…………………….(Myanmar)

    The meeting was called to order at 10.25 a.m.

Agenda items 65 to 81 (continued)

Action on all draft resolutions submitted under all items

  The Chairman : Today the Committee will continue to take action on draft resolutions that appear in informal working paper No.3/Rev.1, following the sequence indicated: in cluster 1, nuclear weapons, draft resolution A/C.1/55/L.48 will not be ready until Monday, so the Committee will not be taking action on that draft resolution today; in cluster 7, disarmament machinery, A/C.1/55/L.10; in cluster 8, other disarmament measures, A/C.1/55/L.6, A/C.1/55/L.21, A/C.1/55/L.22 and A/C.1/55/L.31; in cluster 9, related matters of disarmament and international security, A/C.1/55/L.15; and in cluster 10, international security, A/C.1/55/L.27.

  I call first on those delegations wishing to introduce revised draft resolutions.

 Mr. Issa (Egypt): The delegation of Egypt is pleased to present draft resolution A/C.1/55/L.29/Rev.1, entitled “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East”.

  We have conducted extensive consultations during recent weeks with all interested delegations and groups on this draft resolution, and the present draft before the Committee is a sincere and honest attempt to reflect the remarks and concerns that were conveyed to us in the course of those consultations. A new operative paragraph has been added, now operative paragraph 1, which welcomes the conclusions on the Middle East of the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). What is now operative paragraph 3 calls upon the remaining State in the Middle East that is not yet a party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to accede to the Treaty without further delay, not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons, to renounce possession of nuclear weapons and to place all its unsafeguarded nuclear facilities under full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

  As my delegation stressed when it first presented this draft resolution last week, the draft resolution extends the invitation to Israel to join the 182 States that have renounced the nuclear-weapons option, an invitation whose acceptance has become a moral and political obligation that members of the international community are obligated to pursue if the NPT is to remain a credible instrument and to continue to have non-proliferation value. 

  I further stress that the draft resolution before the Committee in document A/C.1/55/L.29/Rev.1 is not confrontational in nature but, rather, prompts the remaining State in the region of the Middle East that is not a party to the NPT to accept the same legally binding non-proliferation commitments as all other States in the region — and, indeed, as the majority of the members of the international community — have done, and to refrain from any action that could undermine regional and international peace and security.

  The draft resolution continues to take account of developments during the course of the year 2000, particularly those of the past six months, developments which have particular significance as they relate to the region of the Middle East. On behalf of the States sponsors of the draft resolution, we urge Member States of the United Nations to send the clear message that there is no selectivity when it comes to non-proliferation and that the consensus agreed to five months ago is respected. That message would best be conveyed by a positive vote for this draft resolution.

/…

    The meeting rose at 11.15 a.m.

This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the interpretation of speeches delivered in the other languages. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room C-178. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.