Nuclear-weapon-free-zone in the Middle East – Syria decision on draft resolution – Letter from Syria

Note verbale dated 31 December 2003 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and to the President of the Security Council

  The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations presents his compliments to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council, and with reference to the consultations of the Council on the draft resolution introduced by the Syrian Arab Republic, on behalf of the Arab Group, related to the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, particularly nuclear weapons, would like to convey to you the decision of his Government to keep the draft resolution, issued in blue as document S/2003/1208 dated 29 December 2003 (see annex), in the agenda of the Council until more mature and suitable circumstances are created for its adoption. This decision reflects the vital importance of freeing the Middle East from all weapons of mass destruction, and of keeping the issue under consideration by the Council, in the interest of maintaining peace and security in the region and ensuring the prosperity of its peoples.

  The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations requests that the present note be circulated as a document of the fifty-eighth session of the General Assembly, under agenda item 70, and of the Security Council.

Annex to the note verbale dated 31 December 2003 from the Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and to the President of the Security Council 

Syrian Arab Republic: draft resolution

 The Security Council,

 Considering its primary responsibility under the Charter for maintaining international peace and security and its conviction that the maintenance of international peace and security requires the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons,

 Welcoming all initiatives aimed at general and complete disarmament, including the achievement of that objective in the region of the Middle East, especially with a view to the establishment in that region of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons,

 Recalling the Iranian initiative of 1974, the Egyptian initiative of 1985 and the Syrian initiative of 1989, aiming at the establishment of a nuclear-weapons free zone in the Middle East,

 Recalling also the universality of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, dated 1 July 1968,

 Aware of the threat to peace and security in the region posed by all weapons of mass destruction and of the need to establish a zone free of such weapons in the Middle East,

 Aware also of the objective of balanced and comprehensive monitoring of nuclear weapons in the region in accordance with the full-scope safeguards for such monitoring,

 Invoking the resolutions of the conference on the Middle East held in 1995 and 2000 by the States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which call upon all the States of the region to declare their support for the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction and the veritable destruction of such weapons,

 Considering its resolution 1373 (2001) on combating terrorism, which calls upon all States to counter the threat posed by the possession of weapons of mass destruction by terrorist groups,

 Reaffirming the inalienable right of all States to acquire and develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,

 Recalling the final document of the tenth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, held in 1978, and other General Assembly resolutions, the most recent of which is its resolution 58/34 of 8 December 2003 concerning the establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction in the region of the Middle East,

 1.  Emphasizes the role of the Security Council in adopting a global approach to countering the spread of all weapons of mass destruction in the countries of the Middle East without exception;

 2.  Urges the implementation of its relevant resolutions, in particular resolution 487 (1981) and resolution 687 (1991), which are aimed at freeing the Middle East region of all weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons;

 3.  Calls upon States of the Middle East, as non-nuclear-weapon States, to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of 1 July 1968; the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT); the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction (PWC); and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction (CWC);

 4.  Determines to prevent the threat posed by the possession of weapons of mass destruction by terrorist groups;

 5.  Requests the Secretary-General to submit in a report within one month from the date of this resolution on the implementation of its provisions;

 6.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.

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