U.A.E. reiterates support for international efforts aim to achieve international peace

NEW YORK: The United Arab Emirates has reiterated its firm support for international efforts aimed at disarmament and achieving international peace and security goals. The U.A.E. stressed its support for global efforts to establish a world free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. The country attaches special importance to the NPT, the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime and nuclear disarmament, and to the comprehensive safeguards regime of the IAEA and its Additional Protocol, a key tool for assuring non-diversion of nuclear materials and limiting their uses to peaceful purposes only. In a statement to the general debate of the First Committee of the United Nations’ General Assembly on disarmament and international security, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations, stressed the importance of involving women in international disarmament efforts, as partners and agents in preventing wars and resolving conflicts. Ambassador Nusseibeh noted that the U.A.E.’s peace and security strategy is founded on respect for international agreements. She emphasised that efforts to establish security and stability for the people of the Middle East depend on the urgent elimination of all nuclear weapons, and other weapons of mass destruction, from the region. She said, "The peaceful use of nuclear energy requires transparency and commitment to the obligations of non-proliferation. That is why accession and full implementation of international agreements on disarmament and non-proliferation are of such importance to my country." Ambassador Nusseibeh welcomed the progress made towards establishing a world free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, including the declaration of 26th September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, and the review conference on disarmament to be held in 2018, as well as raising awareness on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons through the Oslo and Nayarit conferences, and the upcoming conference in Vienna. She noted that the U.A.E. is concerned at the lack of sustained progress in areas of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, the failure to make tangible progress on establishing the Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons, and the failure to implement all the commitments of the 2005 NPT review conference, as well as the steps of nuclear disarmament agreed upon at the 2000 Review Conference. Ambassador Nusseibeh also expressed the U.A.E.’s disappointment that neither the 2010 Action Plan, nor the final document of the 2010 Review Conference of the Non-Proliferation Treaty – which indicated that there would be 2012 Conference – have been implemented. The U.A.E. calls in particular for the 2012 Conference to be convened as a priority in order to maintain the credibility of the Non-Proliferation Treaty. A further call was renewed to Israel, the only State in the region that has not yet acceded to the Treaty, to join the NPT, and to all States in the region to work constructively towards achieving the objective of making the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons. With regard to Iran’s nuclear programme, the U.A.E. renewed its call for Iran’s continued negotiations with the P5+1 in order to reach a comprehensive settlement on the nuclear issue within a specific timeframe, to resolve all outstanding issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and to restore confidence in the peaceful nature of its nuclear programme to exclude any possible military objectives. The U.A.E. reiterated its support for global efforts to establish a world free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction. Ambassador Nusseibeh emphasised the special importance given by the U.A.E. to the NPT, the cornerstone of non-proliferation regime and nuclear disarmament, and to the comprehensive safeguards regime of the IAEA and its Additional Protocol, a key tool for assuring non-diversion of nuclear materials and limiting their uses to peaceful purposes only. The U.A.E. emphasised the need for all States to comply with their obligations under the safeguards regime and other relevant international commitments. The peaceful use of nuclear energy is critical to fulfilling the world’s growing energy demands. Ambassador Nusseibeh said, "We are proud to be pioneers of a successful model in the region for the peaceful use of nuclear energy, with the highest standards of transparency, safety and security." In her closing remarks, Ambassador Nusseibeh said, "The time has come to settle a range of pending issues, and eliminate all nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction from the region." The Ambassador concluded by calling for "an immediate consensus by the international community on developing the work of this Committee, in order to strengthen regional and international peace and security." – Emirates News Agency, WAM - http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395270829034.html