Egypt voices concern about lack of abiding by establishment of Middle East WMD-Free Zone

CAIRO – 3 October 2020: Egypt voiced its concern about stalemate of the international efforts to disarm nuclear weapons and about the lack of abiding by the establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction in accordance with the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), said Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry at the UNGA’s High-level plenary meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons on Friday.

 

Shoukry said that some nuclear states headed to expand and develop their nuclear arsenals and this would set preconditions for the implementation of the agreed obligations. The Minister affirmed Egypt's aspiration for the success of the next session of the NPT Review Conference via adopting previous commitments, foremost of which is the establishment of Middle East WMD-Free Zone, according to a statement from the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday evening.

 

 

 In November 2019, the first session of the Conference on the establishment of Middle East WMD-Free Zone convened in the United States.  The conference was held amid growing tensions over Iran's nuclear program, as Tehran announced reducing its commitment to the 2015 nuclear deal, which has been floundering since President Donald Trump pulled the US from the deal.