Preparatory Cttee for 2005 Review/Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons conf. – Compilation of reports

New York, 8-19 April 2002

Steps to promote the achievement of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and the realization of the goals and objectives of the 1995 Resolution in the Middle East

Compilation of reports

Addendum

Contents 

  Reports received from States parties

   Saudi Arabia 

[Original: Arabic]
[8 April 2002]

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia affirms its strong commitment to the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and expresses deep concern at Israel’s obstinate refusal to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, thus effectively preventing the establishment of such a zone.

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is of the view that the arrangements for the establishment the nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East which are advocated by United Nations resolutions require Israel, as a State which possesses nuclear facilities and a nuclear stockpile, to accede to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, place all its nuclear facilities under the comprehensive safeguards regime of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and dismantle its entire stockpile of nuclear weapons. 

  Israel is the only State in the Middle East which has yet to accede to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and it must do so if the Middle East region is to become a nuclear-weapon-free zone.

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is of the view that the United Nations represents the appropriate framework for serious talks that will allow all the States concerned in the Middle East to take collective action for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone.

   Tunisia

[Original: French]
[10 April 2002]

1.   Tunisia has always demonstrated its attachment to the principles of disarmament in general and nuclear disarmament in particular. It believes that nuclear-weapon-free zones play a major part in strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and contribute to the total elimination of all nuclear weapons. On the basis of this position:

 •   On 26 February 1970, Tunisia acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

 •   Tunisia signed a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on 24 February 1989 and ratified it on 12 February 1990. Negotiations are under way for the signing of an additional protocol to that Agreement.

 •   Tunisia signed a Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty in 1996.

 •   It has also signed the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba) and is gratified that the Antarctic Treaty and the Treaties of Tlatelolco, Rarotonga and Bangkok, together with the Treaty of Pelindaba, are continuing to help rid the hemisphere and adjacent areas of the presence of nuclear weapons. In this context, Tunisia welcomes the measures taken with a view to concluding further treaties establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones.

 •   Tunisia is one of the sponsors of the resolution submitted annually to the General Assembly by Egypt, on behalf of the Group of Arab States, on the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

 •   Tunisia supports the annual General Assembly resolution on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East.

 •   At the 1999 substantive session of the Disarmament Commission, Tunisia played an active part in the working group on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, which adopted by consensus a report calling for, inter alia, the establishment of such a zone in the Middle East.

2.   Considering the importance for international peace and security of stability in the region of the Middle East, Tunisia remains concerned at the lack of progress in establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and in the implementation of the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. That resolution is an integral part of the decision on the indefinite extension of the Treaty.

3.   Despite the accession of all the countries of the region without exception to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Israel, a nuclear-weapon State, remains the only country that refuses to accede to the Treaty and unconditionally to subject all its nuclear facilities to comprehensive IAEA safeguards. The position taken by Israel is an obstacle to disarmament efforts in general and to the establishment of a lasting peace in the Middle East. It is reflected in the excessive militarization pursued by Israel, which also possesses other weapons of mass destruction.

4.   It is incumbent upon all States parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, particularly the nuclear-weapon States, to put their commitments into practice in order to achieve the goals and objectives of the 1995 Resolution on the Middle East and give effect to the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

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