ID :
341844
Fri, 09/19/2014 - 20:55
Auther :

Qatar Expresses Concern over Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East

Vienna, September 19 (QNA) - The State of 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, in order to facilitate the early implementation of the IAEA comprehensive safeguards on all nuclear activities in the region. The State of Qatar also demanded all other parties, especially those bearing a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, to provide all possible assistance to the Director-General to facilitate create a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons as soon as possible. This came in a speech delivered by HE Governor of Qatar to the IAEA Board of Governors in Vienna Dr. Ahmed Hassan Al-Hammadi at the meeting of IAEA Board of Governors under item VIII ''the application of IAEA safeguards in the Middle East during the session of the Board of Governors, September 2014. Dr. Al-Hammadi expressed thanks of Qatar's delegation to the Director General for his report on the application of safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the Middle East document (GOV / 2014/45). The delegation stressed that it added its voice to the Non-Aligned Movement's statement which was delivered by Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran within this item. During the speech the delegation of the State of Qatar showed a number of observations, including that for forty years, the United Nations General Assembly has been adopting annually a resolution calling for a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons, the IAEA's adoption of a similar decision about a quarter of a century ago, the issuance of a UN Security Council Resolution 487, which called on Israel to subject its nuclear facilities immediately to the comprehensive safeguards system of the IAEA thirty-three 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 all these resolutions have been implemented. He also noted that the absence of progress makes it incumbent upon us to consider the matter seriously, due to concern over the grave consequences that threaten international and regional peace and security caused by the existence 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 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 paragraph 5 of his report that he was unable to achieve progress in the implementation of resolution15 of the 57th session of the General Conference, was expected in light of the preconditions imposed by Israel to block the establishment of the zone. The Director General's report pointed clearly to the position of the Arab states, which is complying with logic, the international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations and the IAEA which believe that Israel's accession to the NPT and the implementation of comprehensive safeguards on facilities is a procedure that paves the ground not only for the creation of the zone, but also to establish a just and lasting peace in the region. He said the imposition of an artificial sequence supposed to achieve a comprehensive peace in the region as a condition for engagement in efforts to create the zone, is an escape from legal entitlements and an indication of the lack of the political will. Concluding, Dr. Al-Hammadi said, "We affirm the deep concern and grave consequences that threaten peace and security as a result of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, and we call on the Director-General to hold further consultations with countries in the region in order to facilitate the early implementation of safeguards on all nuclear activities in the region. We also demanded all other parties, especially those bearing a special responsibility for maintaining international peace and security, to provide all possible assistance to the Director-General to facilitate create a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons as soon as possible. (QNA)

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