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

Official Records

General Assembly

Fifty-eighth session 

First Committee

8th meeting

Tuesday, 14 October 2003, 3 p.m. 

New York

    The meeting was called to order at 3.05 p.m.

Agenda items 62 to 80 (continued )

General debate on all disarmament and international security agenda items 

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  Mr. Al-Malki (Bahrain) (spoke in Arabic) : …

/..l.

  The goal of establishing a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East remains only a dream because of Israel, which continues to refuse to subject its nuclear facilities to the safeguards and control regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The blatant act of aggression perpetrated by Israel on our sisterly country, Syria, a few days ago — which we fully condemn — makes clear once again that the possession of such weapons by a Government that lacks the language of peace could draw the entire region into a war that would have very serious consequences. 

  At a time when super-Powers are effecting reductions in strategic assault weapons in the belief that such measures will contribute to the promotion of international peace and security, the problem remains of other countries seeking to acquire such weapons, including countries in the Gulf region, which is for us a continual source of concern.

  In conclusion, international cooperation for arms control is the only means of ensuring an international community in which peace and prosperity prevail.

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  Mr. Bennouna (Morocco) (spoke in French) : …

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… the Kingdom of Morocco, as a State party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), attaches particular importance to the entry into force of the NPT Programme of Action, adopted during the 2000 Review Conference. Similarly, Morocco calls once again for universal accession to the Treaty.

  In that spirit, the Kingdom of Morocco remains deeply concerned at the situation prevailing in the Middle East. It is particularly deplorable to note that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East faces the opposition of a single State in the region — Israel, which is still not a party to the NPT and refuses to submit its nuclear installations to the generalized guarantees of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

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  The meeting rose at 5.45 p.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-154A. Corrections will be issued after the end of the session in a consolidated corrigendum.