Nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East – SecGen report

ESTABLISHMENT OF A NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE ZONE

IN THE REGION OF THE MIDDLE EAST

Report of the Secretary-General

Addendum

CONTENTS

REPLIES RECEIVED FROM GOVERNMENTS

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

[Original: Arabic]

[29 September 1989]

1. The Permanent Representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to the United Nations presents his compliments to the Secretary-General and has the honour – with reference to the Secretary-General's note No. DDA/1-89/NWFZME of 2 February 1989 concerning the implementation of General Assembly resolution 39/54, entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East" – to provide him with the following information:

2. The Syrian Arab Republic has consistently endorsed the principle of establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones in the world and treated it as an important means of serving the purposes of disarmament in general, and of reducing tension and promoting international peace and security in particular.

3. In light of its support for this principle, it endorsed resolution 39/54, concerning the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East, with a view to sparing this and other regions from the danger of nuclear destruction.  It joined in the consensus on this subject because the resolution affirms the following ideas:

(a) The need for all parties directly concerned to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;

(b) The need for the parties concerned to place all their nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards;

(c) The need for all parties concerned to refrain from developing, producing, testing or otherwise acquiring nuclear weapons or permitting the stationing on their territories, or territories under their control, of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices.

4. The Syrian Arab Republic interprets the contents of resolution 39/54 concerning the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East in this manner and is striving by every means to implement the contents of the resolution on this basis.

5. It is Israel which is impeding the implementation of the resolution and categorically rejecting the unanimous wishes of the international community , by means of the following policies:

(a) Israel's constant refusal to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;

(b) Its constant refusal to comply with Security Council resolution 487 (1981), which calls upon Israel urgently to place its nuclear facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and continued disregard for those safeguards;

(c) Its refusal to accept the idea of giving up possession of nuclear weapons, despite the repeated calls addressed to it by the General Assembly, the Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

6. The Syrian Arab Republic believes that, if the Secretary-General is to ensure that the resolution is implemented, then it is entirely clear that he must persuade Israel to comply with the wishes of the international community, to implement the community's resolutions and to forsake its nuclear ambitions.

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