Washington: The US objected strongly to
the "singling out" of Israel in the United Nations NPT review
conference, saying it has serious reservations about certain
aspects of the resolution pertaining to the Middle East.
Deploring the mention of close ally Israel in the NPT
Review Conference agreements reached at the UN headquarters in
New York and the exclusion of Iran, the US said the aspect
puts the prospect for a conference in 2012 "in doubt".
"Despite our agreement to the final document, we have
serious reservations about one aspect of the Middle East
resolution it contains," National Security Advisor General
(rtd) James Jones, said in a statement.
In a departure from tradition of not singling out
countries by name, the United Nations has this time asked
India, Pakistan and Israel to join Nuclear non-Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) without
further delay and pre-conditions.
The call to the three countries came at the end of the
month-long 2010 NPT review conference here yesterday.
While India and Pakistan were mentioned in the section
on South Asia, Israel was the only country to be mentioned in
the Middle East section. The three countries did not attend
the conference.
"Because of gratuitous way that Israel has been
singled out, the prospect for a conference in 2012 that
involves all key states in the region is now in doubt and will
remain so until all are assured that it can operate in a
unbiased and constructive way," Jones said.
"The failure of the resolution to mention Iran, a
nation in longstanding violation of the NPT and UN Security
Council Resolutions which poses the greatest threat of nuclear
proliferation in the region and to the integrity of the NPT,
is also deplorable," he said.
Jones said as a co-sponsor the US is charged with
enabling this conference, and will ensure that a conference
"will only take place if and when all countries feel confident
that they can attend".
The final document also includes an agreement to hold
a regional conference in 2012 to discuss issues relevant to a
Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and
their delivery systems.
Jones said the US has long supported such a zone, is
of the view that a comprehensive and durable peace in the
region and full compliance by all regional states with their
arms control and non-proliferation obligations were essential
precursors for its establishment.
"Just as our commitment to seek peace and security of
a world without nuclear weapons will not be reached quickly,
the US understands that a WMD free zone in the Middle East is
a long-term goal," he said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, May 29, 2010, 17:16