UAE calls for all states to comply on nuclear security
The UAE called for UN member states to abide by nuclear disarmament and international security standards as it reaffirmed its commitment to working towards a world free of weapons of mass destruction.
Ambassador Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, made the call in a statement to the General Debate of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly yesterday.
She said that, at a time when the world continues to suffer from the use of chemical weapons and nuclear testing, it is vitally important that all UN member states abide by International Atomic Energy Agency standards and demonstrate responsible co-operation in a bid to maintain peace and security.
Multilateral dialogue, Ms Nusseibeh said, was crucial to promote disarmament and international security, as she made reference to the UN resolution backing the prohibition of nuclear weapons.
“This demonstrated the readiness of the international community to move towards a world free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction,” she said, adding that the UAE has adopted a clear and consistent policy on non-proliferation of such weapons.
“We need to ensure that implementation of international agreements on the use of nuclear energy is transparent and conforms with IAEA standards.”
Ms Nusseibeh said that the UAE hopes that further positive steps will be taken to implement the 2010 treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapon that seeks to establish the weapon-free zone in the Middle East, with the participation of all countries in the region.
Because Israel is the only state in the region not to have signed up to the NPT, Ms Nusseibeh reiterated the UAE’s call for the country to do so.
Ms Nusseibeh said Iran must commit to a transparent and full cooperative relationship with the IAEA to improve confidence that its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Iran has shown no indication of ending its hostile behaviour in the region, she said, nor does it want to abandon its nuclear ambitions, so the UAE backs enhancing controls on Iran’s nuclear programme, with continued assessment of the agreement and its provisions.
The ambassador also called on Iran to stop undermining regional security through its support and arms smuggling to militias, in breach of UN Security Council resolutions.
In addition, she said that the UAE condemns the recent nuclear tests conducted by North Korea and called on its leader, Kim Jong-un, to respect his country’s international obligations and act responsibly to maintain peace and security in the Korean peninsula.