New NWFZs A Positive Step Towards Attaining Global Nuclear Disarmament

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has considered the establishment of Nuclear Weapons Free Zones (NWFZ) in several new territories as a positive step towards attaining the objective of global nuclear disarmament. The NWFZs are created by the treaties of Tlatelolco (Mexico), Rarotonga (Cook Islands), Bangkok (Thailand), Pelindaba (South Africa) and Central Asia as well as Mongolia's declaration of its nuclear weapon free status. Deputy Permanent Representative of Malaysia to the United Nations Raja Reza Raja Zaib Shah said Malaysia fully supported the establishment and promotion of NWFZ because it would strenghten peace and security as they promoted greater transparency and dialogue among States regionally. The situation will eventually lead to the creation of an environment conducive to arms control and obliquely reduce the risks of regional conflicts, he said at the third Conference of States Parties and Signatories that established NWFZ and Mongolia, at the United Nations in New York, Friday. "We take the opportunity during this conference to recognise the important precedents set by the African and Central Asian NWFZs. Where previously nuclear weapons had existed within these territories, the States of these NWFZs are now strongly committed to disarmament, as we can see here today," he said. Raja Reza also said Malaysia reiterates its call on States to conclude agreements with a view to establishing new NWFZs in regions where they did not exist, especially in regions such as South Asia, Middle East, Northeast Asia and Central Europe. At the regional level, he said Malaysia was commited to preserve Southeast Asia as a nuclear weapon-free zone and urged the Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to become parties to the protocol of the Bangkok Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) at the earliest opportunity. As the current Chair of ASEAN, Malaysia, he said would introduce the biennial resolution on the SEANWFZ Treaty at the First Committee during the next session of the General Assembly. --BERNAMA