Nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East – Background release for First Cttee debate – Press release (excerpts)

Background Release 

GLOBAL EVENTS CHALLENGE TREATY REGIMES FOR MASS DESTRUCTION WEAPONS, PROVIDE CORE QUESTION FOR DISARMAMENT DEBATE BEGINNING 6 OCTOBER

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Report Summaries

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In his report on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East (document A/58/137, Part I), the Secretary-General notes that the issue remains of considerable importance.  States parties to the NPT, during the second preparatory session for the 2005 Review Conference, reiterated their support for such a zone, reaffirmed the importance of the implementation of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference’s resolution on the Middle East, and recognized that the resolution remained valid until its goals and objectives were achieved.  The report also offers replies from Israel, Mexico, and Venezuela.

Part II of that report (document A/58/137, Part II) transmits General Assembly resolution 57/97, entitled “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East”, by which the Assembly calls upon Israel to accede to the NPT.  An annex to the report contains a copy of a resolution entitled “Application of International Atomic Energy safeguards in the Middle East” (document GC(47)/RES/13), that was adopted by the General Conference of the IAEA at its tenth plenary meeting.  That resolution calls upon all States in the region to take measures aimed at establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

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