the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference on 11 May 1995. in which the Conference noted with concern the continued existence in the Middle East of unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, reaffirmed the importance of the early realization of universal adherence to the Treaty and called upon all States in the Middle East that had not yet done so, without exception, to accede to the Treaty as soon as possible and to place all their nuclear facilities under full-scope Agency safeguards. Mr. Chairman, my delegation will vote "no" on draft resolution L.2, "The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East." As we have reported to this Committee in the past, we cannot support this resolution because we believe its purposes are inimical to advancing the important goal of a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction and delivery systems, which we . It underlines the importance of convening, as a priority, a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament to review progress made in this regard. Japan must face up to the history, refrain from deceiving the international community and portraying itself only as an atomic bomb victim and make a heartfelt apology. Operative paragraph1 was retained by a separate recorded vote of 163in favour to 2against (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India), with 6abstentions (Bhutan, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria). Prior to its approval as a whole, the Committee voted to retain preambular paragraph7, which would have the Assembly reaffirm the vital importance of the entry into force of the Treaty as a core element of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Calls upon all States in the region to extend their fullest cooperation to the Director General in the fulfilment of the tasks entrusted to him in the preceding paragraph; 7. He urged the United States to abandon its cold war mentality and adopt a responsible nuclear policy. Among its other provisions, it urges the Conference on Disarmament to commence as early as possible substantive work, including the immediate commencement of negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear weapons convention. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East. and placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, in realizing the goal of universal adherence to the Treaty in the Middle East; (NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I) and Corr.2), annex. Cognizantthat the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region of the Middle East would pose a serious threat to international peace and security. He cannot support operative paragraph1, as it fails to adequately reflect the existential threat nuclear weapons pose to humanity. The draft asks all nuclear-weapon States to take effective disarmament measures to eliminate all nuclear weapons at the earliest possible date. According to a draft resolution on the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East (document A/59/462 ), the Assembly, noting that Israel remained the only State in the Middle. Preambular paragraph11 fails to highlight the particular responsibility of nuclear-weapon States. The First Committee is called upon to vote on draft resolution A/C.1/58/L37 entitled "the Risk of Nuclear Proliferation in the Middle East", a resolution which is blatantly one- sided, contentious and divisive and undermines, rather then enhances confidence between the states of the region. The five nations that opposed Friday's resolution on the "risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East" were: Canada, Israel, Micronesia, Palau and the United States. In a debate on the matter earlier this month, an Israeli deputy ambassador to the UN Michal Maayan said the NPT is only as relevant as the level of compliance and is not a remedy for the unique security challenges of the Middle East. Welcomesthe conclusions on the Middle East of the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;6. The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East The General Assembly, Bearing in mind the relevant United Nations resolutions, Taking note of the relevant resolutions adopted by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the latest of which is GC(39)/RES/24, adopted on 22 September 1995, and noting the danger of nuclear proliferation, especially in areas of . The region is facing a double standard, which is not ideal for concluding such a zone. The Committee next voted to retain operative paragraph16, by 152in favour to 2against (North Macedonia, Pakistan), with 12abstentions, by which the Assembly would call for the immediate commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament to ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. For information media. The representative of the United States, in a point of order, said his understanding was that this section of the meeting had to do with explanations of a vote, not with general statements directed against a particular country. International Conferences and Side Events, Responsibilities of Civil Society Partners, Risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East SecGen report. Apart from the material forwarded by the International Atomic Energy Agency (see annex), the Secretary-General has not received any additional information since the submission of his most recent report on the subject (A/60/126 (Part II)) to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session. Notingthat one hundred and seventy-six States have signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty,5including a number of States in the region, 1. By its terms, the Assembly would welcome the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 4 min read. The resolution demonstrates a commitment to achieving the NPTs articleVI obligations to pursue in good faith on effective measures relating to the cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament. Details Title The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East : resolution / adopted by the General Assembly Agenda A/71/251 101 The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.. Overall, 191 countries are party to the treaty, including Iran but not Israel. Israel was the only country that opposed the text. Every year, the resolution was adopted by the General Assembly. The Jerusalem Post Customer Service Center can be contacted with any questions or requests: Breakup of the UNGA vote on the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East, October 28, 2022 (credit: UN WEB TV/SCREENSHOT), Sign up for The Jerusalem Post Premium Plus for just $5, Upgrade your reading experience with an ad-free environment and exclusive content, Copyright 2023 Jpost Inc. All rights reserved, on the path to developing nuclear weapons. For many years, these sponsors have been carefully avoiding mentioning the fact that the atomic bombing was carried out by the United States, which is the only and the first country to have used nuclear weapons in military activities. Indeed, it lacks a fundamental understanding that nuclear disarmament should take place in the context of general and complete disarmament. Four countries abstained: the United States, Cameron, Comoros and Tanzania. The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today sent 19 draft resolutions and decisions on a range of nuclear issues to the General Assembly, including 1 on establishing a. Calls upon all parties directly concerned to consider seriously taking the practical and appropriate steps required for the implementation of the proposal to establish a mutually and effectively verifiable NWFZ in the region, and invitesthe countries concerned which have not yet done so to adhere to international non-proliferation regimes, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, as a means of complementing participation in a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East and of strengthening peace and security in the region; 4. The Committee next retained preambular paragraph8, by which the Assembly would recall the Final Declaration adopted by the twelfth Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the Test-Ban Treaty, as well as the joint statement by the Friends of the Treaty. PRIME MINISTER Yair Lapid addresses the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, last week. 1. It is regrettable that consensus is no longer achievable on L.1 on establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East. I (NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Parts I and II)), part I, section entitled Article VII and the security of non-nuclear-weapon States, para. Prior to voting on the text as a whole, it took a recorded vote on preambular paragraph5, which would have the Assembly recall the decision adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), and call on all States not yet party to the Treaty to accede to it at the earliest date, particularly those that operate unsafeguarded nuclear facilities. However, he noted that the substance of the resolution had not changed for many years due to the desire to maintain consensus. He is also unable to vote for operative paragraph9, as it would endanger the NPTs integrity without mentioning nuclear disarmament. Last modified on Mon 13 Mar 2023 18.02 EDT The Aukus scheme announced on Monday in San Diego represents the first time a loophole in the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) has been. Foremost among them is Iran's nuclear escalations, including actions with no credible civilian justification, as called for. (e)Recognizingthat full realization of these objectives would be promoted by the participation of all States of the region, (f)Commendingthe efforts of the Agency concerning the application of safeguards in the Middle East and the positive response of most States in concluding a full-scope safeguards agreement, and. Calling the draft blatantly one-sided, contentious, and divisive, Israel argued that draft's bias stemmed from the failure to acknowledge that the real risk of . According to that provision, the Assembly would urge all States to sign and ratify the Treaty, particularly those whose ratification is needed for its entry into force. Given the inadequate attention on the issue in the two consecutive NPT Review Conferences and the frequent negative votes by the Israeli regime against the draft proposal, it is crystal clear that the situation has changed. The principle of non-first use is not credible during nuclear escalations. They were inhumane and ethically indefensible, and she called on Member States to ratify the Treaty as soon as possible as the complete elimination of nuclear weapons was the only way to avoid their dreadful impact. The resolution is designed to build a bridge between nuclear- and non-nuclear-weapon States and capitalize on the consensus agreed at the tenth Review Conference of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in August before the Russian Federation, alone, blocked consensus on the final document. The Treaty is arguably in a state of crisis, which, if not addressed expeditiously, will affect its integrity and credibility amid heightened geopolitical tensions. The Committee then approved the draft resolution on the eleventh Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT and its Preparatory Committee, L.45/Rev.1, by a recorded vote of 175in favour to noneagainst, with 3abstentions (India, Israel, Pakistan). Operative paragraph 1 was retained by a separate recorded vote of 163 in favour to 2 against (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, India), with 6abstentions (Bhutan, Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria). It was always adopted with overwhelming support. There are glaring realities in the Middle East which must be dealt with effectively. , vol. The Committee approved L.42 as a whole by a recorded vote of 118in favour to 42against, with 20abstentions. The present report is submitted pursuant to paragraph 4 of resolution 60/92. The Committee retained the operative paragraph5 by a recorded vote of 160in favour to 1against (Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea), with 9abstentions (Bhutan, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria) abstentions. The Middle East faces significant nuclear proliferation risks. It also underlines the importance of the unequivocal undertaking by the nuclear-weapon States, in the final document of the 2000Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT, to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament, to which all States Parties are committed under the Treatys articleVI. The proposal to create a MENWFZ is longstanding and over 44 years old. In fact, it strives to make nuclear weapons more palatable and calls into question the NPTs indefinite extension. 3United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 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