The 67th Regular Session of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference included the item entitled “Israeli nuclear capabilities,” on the agenda held in Vienna.
The Arab group in Vienna prepared a request in this regard, presented to the IAEA Secretariat by the Ambassador of Jordan to Vienna Haitham Abu Alfoul as head of the group.
Speaking to KUNA, Arab diplomatic sources said that the current session, which began its work yesterday, Monday, is expected to discuss Israeli nuclear capabilities, given that Israel, unlike all Middle Eastern countries, refuses to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and also opposes subjecting its nuclear weapon facilities under the supervision of IAEA inspectors.
Arab countries will closely follow the countries’ stances during the work of the conference, and the Arab League’s Committee of Senior Arab Officials will be provided with developments to consider the possibility of resubmitting the draft resolution in line with international developments connected to disarmament, sources stated.
The diplomatic sources continued, saying that the Arab countries believe that joining NPT and subjecting all nuclear facilities in the region to comprehensive IAEA guarantees is a precondition for establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons in the Middle East.
In their letter, Arab countries urged IAEA’s Director General to work with the countries concerned to achieve that goal, asking him to submit to the Board of Governors and to this conference a comprehensive annual report on the implementation of this resolution within the framework of the agenda item.
This conference is scheduled to discuss during its closing session the Israeli nuclear capabilities, where Arab countries will submit a statement in this regard based on a decision by the Arab foreign ministers at their last meeting in Cairo.
The 67th session began its work yesterday, Monday, in Vienna, and will continue for five days, in the presence of senior officials from 177 countries from around the world.
Source: Kuwait News Agency