Nusuk Hajj platform offers 6 packages for foreign pilgrims    Expatriates' passport information can be updated through Absher for a fee of SR69    Hotel and Hospitality Expo expects 6,000 buyers at Saudi Arabia's largest industry gathering    Trump suspends global tariffs for 90 days, hikes China import tax to 125%    Virtual Branch enables HR Ministry to bring down in-person visits by 93%    Saudi Arabia announces 14 oil and gas discoveries in Eastern Province and Empty Quarter    Issuance of commercial registrations surge 48% by 154,000 in 1Q of 2025    Tourism Ministry announces 89% growth in licensed hospitality facilities in 2024    Dozens reportedly injured by Russian drone attacks across Ukraine    Sabiri strike gives Al Taawoun narrow first-leg win over Sharjah in ACL Two semi-final    Douglas Gauthier appointed CEO of the Royal Arts Complex in Riyadh's King Salman Park    King Abdulaziz Library unveils 400 rare Qur'an manuscripts    Faulty antenna played role in fatal Australian helicopter crash    Iran says it is ready for nuclear deal if US stops military threats    Nightclub collapse kills 79 in Dominican Republic's capital    Saudi Arabia ranked first globally in empowering women in AI    Woman becomes first in UK to give birth after womb transplant    Women make up 20% of e-sports players in Saudi Arabia    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Saudi U-17s qualify for 2025 FIFA World Cup after win over Thailand    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



NPT states propose steps for nuke-free Mideast
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 05 - 2010

In a breakthrough after a decade of deadlock, the Non-Proliferation Treaty's 189 nations proposed new steps Friday toward nuclear disarmament and making the Middle East free of atomic weapons.
It was the first agreement in 10 years on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which since 1970 has set the global agenda for fighting the spread of nuclear weapons.
Diplomats at an NPT review conference approved by consensus a 28-page final document that for the first time laid out action plans on the three pillars of the treaty – disarmament, non-proliferation and promoting peaceful atomic energy.
The most controversial item was a fourth action plan, on working toward a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, a move that would in the end require a profound strategic re-orientation in this highly volatile region.
US President Barack Obama welcomed the NPT final statement as strengthening “the global non-proliferation regime” but said he “strongly” opposed singling out Israel over talks for a Mideast nuclear-weapon-free zone. The NPT called on Israel to join the treaty, which would oblige the Jewish state to do away with its nuclear weapons.
The wording on the Middle East called for holding a conference in 2012 “to be attended by all states of the Middle East, leading to the establishment¨ of such a nuclear-weapon-free zone. But this would only be a one-time conference, with any follow-up dependent on agreement by all the parties.
The text also mentioned ¨the importance of Israel's accession to the treaty and the placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) safeguards.¨
Israel Saturday denounced the “hypocrisy” of the UN call for a nuclear-free Middle East that singled it out but ignored Iran, which is suspected of seeking the bomb and which welcomed the document.
“This accord has the hallmark of hypocrisy. Only Israel is mentioned, while the text is silent about other countries like India, Pakistan and North Korea, which have nuclear arms, or even more seriously, Iran, which is seeking to obtain them,” a senior Israeli government official said on condition of anonymity.
The NPT document came after a month of deliberations at UN headquarters in New York that looked set to fail until almost the very last hour, with Iran seeking tougher anti-Israeli language on the zone item.
British Ambassador John Duncan said the success in approving a document ¨shows that the NPT can still be relevant. We now have a focus on concrete action instead of interminable discussion.¨
Iranian Ambassador Ali Asghar Soltanieh, whom many feared would veto the consensus text, said that despite its ¨limited¨ nature, the final statement was ¨a step forward... towards our common goal of nuclear disarmament.”
The NPT has not reached an accord in twice-a-decade review meetings since drawing up in 2000 steps toward nuclear disarmament.
The treaty is in crisis over how to monitor suspect nuclear programs in Iran and North Korea, and how to get nuclear-weapon states to honor their treaty promise to get rid of atomic weapons.
But there was a new mood of cooperation here, which many attributed to Obama's drive to make non-proliferation and multilateral cooperation a US priority.


Clic here to read the story from its source.