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

GENERAL ASSEMBLY WOULD WELCOME 2000 NPT REVIEW CONFERENCE OUTCOME

UNDER TERMS OF ONE OF NINE TEXTS APPROVED BY FIRST COMMITTEE

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Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this afternoon to begin the third stage of its work, namely action on disarmament and security-related draft resolutions.  It had before it five drafts on nuclear weapons, two on other weapons of mass destruction and two on conventional weapons.

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Action on Texts

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The Committee then turned to the draft resolution on the Chemical Weapons Convention (document A/C.1/55/L.18).

The representative of Egypt, speaking before action on the text, said his country had always supported measures to internationally ban the use of weapons of mass destruction and had committed itself to that objective.  Thus, he sympathized with the general thrust of the draft, which sought to eliminate chemical weapons.  It would nevertheless stress its well known position with regard to the Convention and its implications in the Middle East.  Its commitment regarding a ban on chemical and all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East hinged on a solemn declaration by all States in the region to that effect.  Although the Egyptian delegation had participated actively in the arduous consultations in the Conference on Disarmament leading to the Chemical Weapons Convention, its position had been voiced since that treaty's opening for signature in January 1993.  

He said his country's view in that regard had been firmly based on its regional considerations and concerns.  For so long now, Israel had repeatedly stated that the application of that Convention should include all States in the Middle East, within a mutually accepted verification mechanism.  He was not at odds, for once, with Israel on that position.  His Government shared that view, but in a wider spectrum all countries in the Middle East except Israel were party to the NPT.  Israel had also refused to place its nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards.  He had not request a recorded vote on the text, but he did not considered himself part of any consensus decision on the text today.  

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The Committee then approved the draft resolution on the Chemical Weapons Convention (document A/C.1/55/L.18) without a vote.

The representative of Israel said he wished to shape the Chemical Weapons Convention into a workable mechanism.  Signing it had reflected his country's vision and commitment to work towards a ban on chemical weapons.  It would reaffirm that commitment.  It had also hoped that, upon signing, other countries would soon follow suit.  The known users of chemical weapons in the past continued to strive to improve their chemical capabilities.  Unfortunately, none of those countries had signed or ratified the Convention or expressed any intention to do so.  The issue of chemical disarmament and that of other weapons of mass destruction should be dealt with in a regional context.

He said his country had not yet ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention.  Upon signing it, his delegation had said it would seek to ratify it, subject to, among others, regional security concerns.  Those considerations remained no less valid today, as those concerns had not diminished, but had increased.  Joining consensus today must not prejudge his country's decision to ratify the Convention.  Positive changes in the climate of the Middle East would be a major factor governing that decision.  

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