Ambassador Sabbagh: Establishing weapons of mass destruction free-zone in the Middle East requires Israel’s accession to the non-proliferation treaty

New York-Sana – Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Bassam Sabbagh affirmed that the establishment nuclear weapons free-zone and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East requires Israel’s accession to the non-proliferation treaty, noting that the protection umbrella provided by Western countries, led by the United States, has contributed to its unilateral possession and development of weapons of mass destruction and its refusal to subject its nuclear facilities to international supervision, which made it the main source of threat to peace and security in the region.

Sabbagh said in a statement on Monday before the third session of the conference on the establishment of nuclear weapons a zone free and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East: Our conference is held after the tenth review conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, in which we were unable to identify practical steps that guarantee the effective implementation of the Middle East resolution of 1995, which is a major part on the basis of which the non-definitive extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was made, and a fundamental pillar in supporting the non-proliferation regime on the regional level.

Sabbagh indicated that the failure of the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty to adopt a final document should constitute a motive for moving forward in the collective efforts to implement the Middle East Resolution of 1995, for which the three sponsoring countries (the United States, Britain and Russia) bear full responsibility for its implementation, pointing out that the decision of the General Assembly No. (73-546) represents a step to break the stalemate that faced the implementation of the Middle East Resolution since its adoption.

Sabbagh explained that Syria supported the General Assembly resolution as a path parallel to the implementation of the Middle East Resolution and not an alternative to it. And since the adoption of this resolution, Syria has cooperated with the regional countries participating in the conference to achieve their common goal, pointing out that this progress achieved by the conference indicates the sincere and serious efforts made by the participating countries and reveals, on the other hand, the disregard of (Israel) and the United States for the international will, and this is consistent with their approach in obstructing the efforts of Create this area.

Sabbagh pointed out that Syria considers the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East as an important measure of disarmament and strengthening of the non-proliferation regime, and a serious contribution to the maintenance of regional and international peace and security, noting that on the basis of that, it has progressed during its non-proliferation membership. Permanent Committee in the Security Council in the years 2002-2003 draft resolution aimed at evacuating the Middle East region of all those weapons, but the United States aborted that initiative to protect (Israel).

Sabbagh expressed Syria’s aspiration to work seriously and openly with all the delegations of the countries participating in this conference in order to reach a legally binding treaty to establish a region free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, which guarantees security for the peoples of our region and the world.

Amer Dawa