Bahrain reiterates unwavering stance on disarmament and international security

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 proliferation of nuclear weapons until full elimination of them in order to achieve international security and stability. This came 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. The Kingdom of Bahrain called to declare September 26 an International Day for Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons-a step deemed crucial to get rid of nuclear weapons. It urged the international community to commence negotiations on a comprehensive and non-discriminatory treaty to ban the use, production and stockpiling of nuclear weapons, and to convene 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 the General Assembly resolution A/68/32. With regard to the Middle East, the Kingdom of Bahrain reiterated its stance demanding to ensure the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf are free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and push 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. The Kingdom of Bahrain expressed hope the agreement between the Islamic Republic of 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 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 to promote 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.