Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat – Letter from Kuwait

International Atomic Energy Agency 

General Conference 

(Unofficial electronic version) 

Forty-third regular session

ISRAELI NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES AND THREAT

Pursuant to a request of the Resident Representative of Kuwait, the text of a letter addressed by him to the Director General on behalf of the Arab States members of the Agency, received on 5 May 1999, is attached hereto.

TEXT OF A LETTER OF 5 MAY 1999 FROM THE RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE OF KUWAIT TO THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

On behalf of the Arab States that are members of the Agency and have signed the attached list, I have the honour to request you to take the necessary steps to include an item entitled "Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat" in the agenda of the forty-third session of the Agency's General Conference (September 1999).

The explanatory memorandum relating to the request for inclusion of this item is attached.

REQUEST FOR INCLUSION OF AN ITEM ON ISRAELI NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES

AND THREAT IN THE AGENDA OF THE FORTY-THIRD SESSION OF THE

AGENCY'S GENERAL CONFERENCE

 

DRAFT EXPLANATORY MEMORANDUM ON

ISRAELI NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES AND THREAT

SUBMITTED BY THE MEMBER STATES IN THE LEAGUE OF ARAB STATES

1. An item on Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat was on the agenda of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency for a number of years, and the Conference repeatedly adopted resolutions calling upon Israel to place its nuclear installations under Agency safeguards.

In 1992 the Conference endorsed the President's statement that "… in view of the peace process already under way in the Middle East, the aim of which was to conclude a comprehensive and just peace in the region, and which included in particular discussions on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, it would be desirable not to consider the present agenda item at the thirty-sixth regular session."

2. The policies of the present Israeli Government have obstructed the peace process in the Middle East and all initiatives to free the region of the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction, and in particular of nuclear weapons, have failed.

3. In May 1995, the Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons adopted a resolution on the Middle East expressing the concern of the States Party to the Treaty at the dangerous situation in the Middle East resulting from the presence in the region of undeclared nuclear activities and nuclear installations not subject to IAEA safeguards, which put regional and international peace and security at risk.

4. In 1997, the Member States of the Agency reinforced its control of nuclear activities by adopting the Model Additional Protocol to enhance the effectiveness and improve the efficiency of the safeguards system, in respect of States which have concluded comprehensive safeguards agreements, in order to provide assurance that no undeclared nuclear activities or installations exist.

5. Arab States have always shown their readiness to take practical steps towards creating in the Middle East a zone free of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons of mass destruction, and to refrain from taking any measures which could hamper the attainment of this goal.

6. Whereas all Arab States have acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Israel continues to defy the international community by refusing to become a party to the Treaty or to place its installations under the Agency's comprehensive safeguards system, thus upsetting the balance needed to achieve peace in the region and exposing the region to nuclear risks. Israel's possession of nuclear weapons is likely to lead to a destructive nuclear arms race in the region, especially if Israel's nuclear installations remain outside any international control.

7. The International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion of 8 July 1996 on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons stressed that there existed an obligation on the part of all States to pursue in good faith, and to bring to a conclusion, negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all of its aspects under strict and effective international control.

8. At the forty-second session of the Agency's General Conference (September 1998), an item entitled "Israeli nuclear capabilities and threat" was re-inscribed on the agenda at the request of a number of Member States.

The Agency's General Conference endorsed at the tenth plenary meeting on 25 September 1998 the following statement by the President:

"The General Conference recalls the statement by the President of the thirty-sixth session of the General Conference in 1992 concerning the agenda item "Israeli Nuclear Capabilities and Threat". That statement considered it desirable not to consider that agenda item at the thirty-seventh session. At this forty-second session, this item was, at the request of certain Member States, re-inscribed on the agenda. The item was discussed. The President notes that certain States intend to include this item on the provisional agenda of the forty-third regular session of the General Conference."

§ All Member States of the Agency are invited to co-operate in order to remedy this situation resulting from the fact that Israel alone possesses nuclear capabilities which are undeclared and not subject to international control and which constitute a permanent threat to peace and security in the region.

The General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency must take appropriate measures to ensure that Israel places all its nuclear installations under Agency safeguards and accedes to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

§ A list of some international resolutions on this subject is attached hereto.

SOME INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTIONS ON THIS SUBJECT

A number of resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly and the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency call upon Israel to place all its nuclear installations under Agency safeguards and to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. These include:

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