{"id":290634,"date":"2023-11-13T15:21:46","date_gmt":"2023-11-13T20:21:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/?post_type=document&p=290634"},"modified":"2023-11-14T15:32:54","modified_gmt":"2023-11-14T20:32:54","slug":"middle-east-violence-could-prompt-dangerous-expansion-of-conflict-to-wider-region-disarmament-chief-warns-as-conference-to-create-nuclear-weapon-free-zone-begins-news-item","status":"publish","type":"document","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/document\/middle-east-violence-could-prompt-dangerous-expansion-of-conflict-to-wider-region-disarmament-chief-warns-as-conference-to-create-nuclear-weapon-free-zone-begins-news-item\/","title":{"rendered":"Middle East Violence Could Prompt Dangerous Expansion of Conflict to Wider Region, Disarmament Chief Warns, as Conference to Create Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Begins – News Item"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EAST ZONE FREE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS,<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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DC\/3863<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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13 NOVEMBER 2023<\/div>\n
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Against the backdrop of escalating violence in the Middle East, the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs today warned of a dangerous expansion of the conflict in the wider region during the opening of the fourth session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction.<\/p>\n

Izumi Nakamitsu, addressing the Conference on behalf of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres, said she came to the Conference \u201cwith a heavy heart, anguish, pain and sorrow that I had never felt in my more than 30 years of Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ career.\u201d\u00a0She noted the minute of silence among Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ personnel today to mourn and honour the 101 brave colleagues from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵRWA) who have lost their lives in Gaza in service of others.<\/p>\n

She expressed deep concern about clear violations of international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict. \u00a0\u201cLet me repeat the clear, unequivocal position of the United Nations that no party to an armed conflict is above international humanitarian law. \u00a0Even wars have rules,\u201d she said, calling for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire to allow for life-saving aid to reach those in urgent and desperate need.\u00a0 \u201cCool heads and diplomatic efforts must prevail,\u201d she said, emphasizing that no effort should be spared to help pave the way to peace, to a two-State solution with Israelis and Palestinians living in peace and security.\u00a0 Addressing the root causes of the conflict, including through a broader peace and security architecture in the region, is urgent, she said.<\/p>\n

Given the current crisis in the Middle East, the decision to continue the important work of the Conference demonstrates a collective will to use dialogue and diplomacy in seeking common security and regional peace.\u00a0 \u201cAny threat to use nuclear weapons is inadmissible [and] further illustrates the urgency and imperative to achieve the objective of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The fourth session will continue to address key issues for a future Middle East zone treaty.\u00a0 The importance of effective verification cannot be understated, as it ensures compliance and fosters trust among the parties to a future zone, she said. \u00a0Promoting peaceful uses is another key pillar, as it allows parties to the zone to benefit from peaceful uses and technical cooperation for social and economic development and serves as a key incentive for States to join the future zone.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe path towards the establishment of a Middle East zone through the elaboration of a legally binding treaty will not be smooth sailing,\u201d she said.\u00a0 But the incremental approach of the Conference is working well in preparing States for future negotiation of a treaty, she added, reiterating a call for the full participation of all States in the region.\u00a0\u201cA Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction will significantly contribute [\u2026] to peace and security of the Middle East and beyond,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Taher El-Sonni (Libya), President of the fourth session of the Conference, opened the meeting by saying the crisis in Gaza and its unpredictable backlash for peace and security in the Middle East and beyond underscores the urgency of the work of the Conference.\u00a0 \u201cThe grave violations by the Israeli occupation forces must come to an end immediately,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cAs long as there are nuclear weapons and other WMDs in our region, there will be no hope for sustainable peace in our region,\u201d he said, adding that the provocative statement by a representative of the Israeli Government a few days ago, threatening the use of nuclear weapons against Gaza, is unacceptable.\u00a0 The Conference and all parts of the United Nations must condemn that threat, which proves the gravity of the situation, he said.<\/p>\n

Dennis Francis (Trinidad and Tobago), President of the General Assembly, noted that over four decades ago, the Assembly recommended the establishment of a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.\u00a0 \u201cThe ardent hope for a safer future has not been lost on the sands of time,\u201d he said, highlighting that only two weeks ago, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) reaffirmed its unflinching support for the establishment of this zone, calling for urgent and practical steps for implementation.\u00a0 \u201cThe overwhelming majority of Member States agree that keeping the region free of the most destructive weapons ever created by humanity is an important precursor to peace and stability in the Middle East,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Concern about the ongoing hostilities is amplified by worries about escalation of nuclear programmes, he said, calling on all actors to cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to ensure transparency measures are in place for any nuclear programmes and to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.\u00a0 \u201cOur footsteps will one day fade from this planet,\u201d he said.\u00a0 \u201cWe owe it to the generations who will follow to embark today on a path of sustainable peace in the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the meeting, the Conference adopted its provisional agenda (document\u00a0A\/CONF.236\/2023\/L.1\/Rev.1<\/a>) and the programme of work (document\u00a0A\/CONF.236\/2023\/L.2<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Xiaoyu Wang, Office for Disarmament Affairs and Secretary-General of the Conference, presented the Credentials Report, noting that, as of 13\u00a0November, 10 States \u2014 Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Mauritania, Oman, Qatar, State of Palestine, Sudan, Syria and Yemen \u2014 have submitted formal credentials.\u00a0 He reminded the 14 States which have not submitted credentials \u2014 Morocco, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Comoros, Israel, United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Tunisia, Algeria, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon and Libya \u2014 to do so.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CONFERENCE ON MIDDLE EAST ZONE FREE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DC\/3863 13 NOVEMBER 2023 Against the backdrop of escalating violence in the Middle East, the United Nations High Representative for Disarmament Affairs today warned of a dangerous expansion of the conflict in the wider region during the opening of the fourth session of the Conference on […]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":301,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"country":[],"document-category":[2477],"document-source":[2357,1365,6169,6849],"committee-meeting":[],"document-subject":[1769,1773,1829,2005,1741],"entity":[1729],"document-language":[],"class_list":["post-290634","document","type-document","status-publish","hentry","document-category-news-item","document-source-disarmament-conference","document-source-general-assembly","document-source-united-nations-department-of-global-communications","document-source-united-nations-high-representative-for-disarmament-affairs","document-subject-armed-conflict","document-subject-arms-control-and-regional-security-issues","document-subject-casualties","document-subject-gaza-strip","document-subject-human-rights-and-international-humanitarian-law","entity-united-nations-system"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290634","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/document"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/301"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290634\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":290638,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document\/290634\/revisions\/290638"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=290634"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"document-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-category?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"document-source","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-source?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"committee-meeting","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/committee-meeting?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"document-subject","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-subject?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"entity","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/entity?post=290634"},{"taxonomy":"document-language","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/unispal\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/document-language?post=290634"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}