New York, Oct. 15 (BNA)– Bahrain has reaffirmed its unwavering stance on the importance of disarmament, international security, and the need to intensify efforts to curb the proliferation of nuclear weapons until their full elimination in order to achieve international security and stability.
The stance was reaffirmed as Bahrain Permanent Representative to the United Nation in New York Ambassador Jamal Fares Al-Rowaiei addressed the 70th session of the UN General Assembly First Committee on Disarmament and International Security.
Bahrain called for the designation of September 26 as the International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, a step deemed crucial to get rid of nuclear weapons, and urged the international community to start negotiations on a comprehensive and non-discriminatory treaty to ban the use, production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons. Bahrain also called for convening a high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament in no later than 2018 in order to review progress on this vital subject in accordance with General Assembly Resolution A/68/32.
With regard to the Middle East, Bahrain reiterated its stance demanding to ensure the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf are free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and press on Israel to sign the Nuclear Weapons Non-proliferation Treaty and place its nuclear facilities under full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.
It expressed dissatisfaction with the failure to reach an agreement at the Conference of States Parties to the comprehensive review of the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty, which failed to achieve tangible progress on nuclear disarmament as it fell short in implementing the decision of the 1995 Review Conference on the Middle East and the Plan of Action adopted at the Review Conference in 2010.
Bahrain expressed hope the agreement between Iran and Group 5+1 on Iran’s nuclear programme would contribute to boosting regional security and stability despite its failure to touch on real challenges in the region and to guarantee it is a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
Bahrain reiterated the importance of the right to benefit from nuclear technology for peaceful purposes and promoting cooperation in the peaceful uses of atomic energy, which is the natural right of all states in the framework of international guarantees and providing it is fully consistent with legal obligations and standards of transparency, in accordance with the agreements concluded with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

A O Q

BNA 2023 GMT 2015/10/15