Review Conf. on Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons – Nuclear-weapon-free zone – Report submitted by Sweden

NPT/CONF.2005/38


2005 Review Conference of the Parties

to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation

of Nuclear Weapons

20 May 2005

Original: English


New York, 2-27 May 2005

 

 

Steps taken to promote the achievement of an effectively verifiable Middle East zone free from nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction, and the realization of the goals and objectives of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East

  

  

    Report submitted by Sweden

 

 

  In the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in the section entitled "Article VII and the security of non-nuclear-weapon States", paragraph 16 on "Regional Issues", subparagraph 7, it is stated that:

  "The Conference requests all States parties, particularly the nuclear-weapon States, the States of the Middle East and other interested States, to report through the United Nations Secretariat to the President of the 2005 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as well as to the Chairperson of the Preparatory Committee meetings to be held in advance of that Conference, on the steps that they have taken to promote the achievement of such a zone (i.e. a Middle East zone free from nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction, our remark ) and the realisation of the goals and objectives of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East."

  Sweden would hereby like to communicate the following information regarding the realisation of the goals and objectives of the Resolution.

  1. Endorses aims and objectives of Middle East peace process and recognises that efforts in this regard, as well as other efforts, contribute to, inter alia, a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons as well as other weapons of mass destruction.

  Sweden supports negotiations for a just, enduring and comprehensive peace settlement in the Middle East, based on Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, and the principles derived from successive agreements between the parties. Sweden is strongly committed to the need for a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. This goal could be promoted in several ways, for example, by making full use of the confidence-building measures that exist within the framework of the EU Mediterranean co-operation (the Barcelona Process) and by establishing mechanisms for transparent and reliable verification in order to destroy the weapons of mass destruction in the region.

  2. Calls on the remaining State not party to the Treaty to accede to it, thereby accepting an international legally binding commitment not to acquire nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices and to accept IAEA safeguards.

  Sweden continues to emphasise the importance of universal accession and adherence to the NPT. We call upon Israel to sign and ratify the NPT and to place all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards.

  3. Notes the continued existence in the Middle East of unsafeguarded facilities and urges those countries that operate unsafeguarded nuclear facilities to accept full-scope IAEA safeguards.

  Sweden remains concerned with the existence of unsafeguarded nuclear facilities in the region. We urge all States in the Middle East that have not yet done so to conclude and bring into force comprehensive safeguards agreements and Additional Protocols with the IAEA.

  4. Reaffirms importance of the early realisation of universal adherence to the NPT, and calls upon all States in the Middle East that have not yet done so, without exception, to accede to the NPT as soon as possible and to place their nuclear facilities under full-scope IAEA safeguards.

  See answer under paragraph 2 and 3.

  5. Calls upon all States in the Middle East to take practical steps in appropriate fora to make progress towards, inter alia, the establishment of an effectively verifiable Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction, nuclear, chemical and biological, and their delivery systems, and to refrain from measures that preclude the achievement of this objective.

  Sweden is strongly committed to the establishment of zones free of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. Sweden supported resolution 59/63 entitled “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East, which was adopted without a vote by the 59 th United Nations General Assembly.

  Sweden welcomes Libya’s decision to end its nuclear weapons programme, and is of the view that Libya’s decision could contribute to a process towards the establishment of a zone free from weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. Sweden notes, however, that Libya has been in breach of its obligations under its safeguards agreement with the IAEA.

  The signature of the Additional Protocol by Iran and its voluntary suspension of all enrichment- and reprocessing-related activities is a welcome step. However, a number of questions surrounding Irans’s nuclear programme remain outstanding. Iran must continue to co-operate fully with the IAEA in order to resolve them. Sweden supports the efforts, through on-going negotiations, to achieve a long-term arrangement, which provides objective guarantees that Iran’s nuclear programme is exclusively peaceful.

  6. Call upon all States parties to the NPT, and in particular the nuclear-weapons States, to extend co-operation and support efforts towards the early establishment by regional parties of a Middle East zone free of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems.

  Sweden continues to support the establishment of regional nuclear weapon free zones.

 

______________


Document symbol: NPT/CONF.2005/47
Document Type: Report
Country: Sweden
Subject: Arms control and regional security issues
Publication Date: 20/05/2005
2019-03-12T18:21:05-04:00

Share This Page, Choose Your Platform!

Go to Top