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

Official Records

General Assembly

Fifty-eighth session 

First Committee

14th meeting

Thursday, 23 October 2003, 10 a.m. 

New York

    The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m.

Agenda items 62 to 80 (continued )

Thematic discussion on item subjects as well as the introduction and consideration of all draft resolutions submitted under all disarmament and international security items

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  Mr. Issa (Egypt) ( spoke in Arabic ): It pleases me to present to you on behalf of the countries members of the Arab League, a draft resolution entitled “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” in document A/C.1/58/L.23. This draft resolution reflects the concern of the countries of the Middle East, in fact the whole of the international community, with regard to the danger resulting from the possibility of the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the Middle East and the continued existence of nuclear facilities in the region that are not subject to the comprehensive safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  This concern has been expressed at different conferences held to review the implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), the last of which was held in the year 2000. This draft resolution emphasizes the need for all countries in the region to take serious and operational steps towards the establishment of a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East, for the accession of all countries in the region to the NPT and for their compliance with all its provisions. It calls upon Israel as the only country in the region that has not yet acceded to the NPT to do so without delay and subject its nuclear facilities to the comprehensive safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The draft resolution also calls upon the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly in its next session a report concerning the progress achieved in this connection.

  I would like to submit also a draft resolution entitled “Establishing a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the Middle East”. Egypt has submitted this draft resolution for more than twenty-five years now. The draft resolution reflects the priority of the parties concerned that, practical steps should be taken to make the Middle East a nuclear-weapons-free zone and subject all nuclear activities in the region to the safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The draft also calls upon all countries of the region to refrain from developing nuclear weapons, testing such weapons, acquiring them or deploying such nuclear weapons in their territory, until a nuclear-weapons-free zone is established in the Middle East.

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    The meeting rose at 1 p.m.

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