Vienna: The 70th session of the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted, by an overwhelming majority, Egypt's annual resolution on the application of IAEA safeguards to all nuclear facilities in the Middle East.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates announced that the resolution received the support of 112 countries, with no country voting against it. The ministry emphasized that this outcome reflected Egypt's standing within international organizations and the consistency of its position with efforts to enhance security and stability in the region through the application of IAEA safeguards to all countries and nuclear facilities in the Middle East without exception.
The ministry also drew attention to the ongoing efforts to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, aiming to achieve universality of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Egypt underscored the pivotal role of the NPT in maintaining and enhancing international peace and security since its conclusion in 1968, highlighting the necessity for the international community to fulfill its responsibilities and fully implement all legal obligations arising from the treaty.
Additionally, Egypt stressed the importance of intensifying international efforts to overcome the deadlock surrounding the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The upcoming seventh session of the UN Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction, scheduled for November at UN headquarters in New York, was noted as a critical opportunity for all countries in the region to engage in serious and constructive dialogue and join the NPT. This action would support efforts to achieve universality of the treaty and establish a Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction.