Vienna: Qatar has expressed deep concern over the grave consequences that threaten peace and security as a result of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, calling on the director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to hold further consultations with regional countries to facilitate early implementation of IAEA comprehensive safeguards on all nuclear activities in the region.
Qatar has also demanded that all parties, especially those bearing a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, provide all assistance to the director-general to facilitate creation of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons as soon as possible.
In a speech at a meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors, Qatar’s member Dr Ahmed Hassan Al Hammadi thanked the director general for his report on the application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East document. The Qatari delegation stressed that it added its voice to the Non-Aligned Movement’s statement, which was delivered by the ambassador of Iran.
During the speech, the Qatari delegation made a number of observations, including that for 40 years the United Nations General Assembly has been annually adopting a resolution calling for a Middle East nuclear free zone, the IAEA’s adoption of a similar decision about a quarter of a century ago, the issuance of UN Security Council Resolution 487, which called on Israel to subject its nuclear facilities immediately to the comprehensive safeguards system of the IAEA 33 years ago, and the resolution of the 1995 NPT Review Conference on the Middle East 19 years ago, pointing out that until now none of these resolutions have been implemented.
He also noted that the absence of progress made it incumbent to consider the matter seriously due to concern over the grave consequences of nuclear activities in the Middle East not dedicated to peaceful purposes, and the urgent need to strengthen the non-proliferation system, nuclear disarmament and achievement of the NPT’s global application.
Dr Al Hammadi added that paragraph (4) of the Director General’s report summarized the main obstacle facing the establishment of the (nuclear weapons free) zone by saying “all countries in the region except Israel are parties to the NPT, and have pledged to accept the IAEA comprehensive safeguards system. Accordingly, Israel’s joining of the NPT and the subjection of its facilities to the IAEA safeguards system will remove the main obstacle to the establishment of the (nuclear weapons free) zone.
Dr Al Hammadi noted that the conclusion reached by the director general in his report that he was unable to achieve progress in the implementation of resolution 15 of the 57th session of the General Conference, was expected in the light of the preconditions imposed by Israel to block the establishment of the zone.
The director general’s report pointed to the position of the Arab states, which complies with logic, international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the IAEA, which say that Israel’s accession to the NPT and implementation of comprehensive safeguards on its facilities will pave the way to the creation of the zone and a just and lasting peace in the region.
He said the imposition of terms supposed to achieve a comprehensive peace in the region as a precondition for engagement in efforts to create the zone was an indication of lack of political will.
QNA
