New York: Qatar has underlined the importance of a multilateral framework to address issues of disarmament and non-proliferation and renewed its commitment to cooperation to strengthen international peace and security and rid humanity of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear arms.
This came in a statement by Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Thani, Third Secretary, Qatar’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, at the 69th session of the first committee of the UN General Assembly on disarmament and international security.
Sheikh Ahmed said that despite the importance attached by the international community to address the issues of disarmament, the stalemate and the inability of the Conference on Disarmament since 1996 on adoption of the agenda of the conference, reflect a lack of political will, which is the cornerstone for reaching the goals.
He said lack of progress in deliberations of the Disarmament Commission since 1999, and in nuclear disarmament since the first session of the General Assembly on the issue in 1978, require specific objectives that should be achieved by each session of the assembly to come up with recommendations to help achieve a qualitative leap in the field of disarmament and non-proliferation.
He said the proliferation of small and light arms and weapons is one of the challenges facing the world in the field of disarmament, which requires from all parties, especially manufacturing and exporting weapons, restrictions and adequate control to prevent the proliferation as well as full compliance and implementation of the UN programme to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit trade in small and light arms and weapons.
Sheikh Ahmed said Qatar believes that the only way to prevent an arms race in outer space and the maintenance of international peace and security requires a multilateral treaty.
He said the Conference on Disarmament has the primary role as the sole multilateral negotiating forum on disarmament.
Sheikh Ahmed said Qatar is keen to strengthen the Treaty on Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and the pillars on which it is based, including non-proliferation, disarmament and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
He also stressed the right of member states to use nuclear technology for peaceful purposes in accordance with the international law.
The goal of building a world of stability and security cannot be achieved without the political will of the member states, he said, adding that there was no doubt that reducing budgets for arms and military equipment and fulfilling all international obligations in the field of disarmament could achieve the objectives.
QNA
