Geneva, Feb. 26 (SANA) Qatar has called for the urgent establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone and other weapons of mass destruction (WMD)-free arrangements in the Middle East, warning that rising global tensions threaten international disarmament efforts.
Speaking during the high-level meeting of the Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, Jawhara bint Abdulaziz Al Suwaidi, Deputy Permanent Representative of Qatar to the UN Office in Geneva, said the international system is entering a “critical phase” marked by escalating conflicts, declining respect for international law, accelerated nuclear modernization and increasing risks related to the militarization of outer space.
According to the Qatari news agency QNA, Al Suwaidi said establishing a WMD-free zone in the Middle East remains an urgent priority to enhance regional security and stability, reaffirming Doha’s support for United Nations initiatives aimed at advancing disarmament.
She noted that 2026 will be a pivotal year for the global nuclear framework with the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), stressing that nuclear disarmament is a humanitarian, security and development imperative rather than a political option.
Al Suwaidi also reiterated Qatar’s condemnation of Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip, calling for adherence to international law and the protection of civilians.
The Conference on Disarmament, established in 1979 and headquartered in Geneva, is the UN’s sole multilateral negotiating forum for disarmament treaties.
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted by the UN General Assembly in July 2017 and entering into force in January 2021, seeks a comprehensive ban on the development, testing, production, possession, transfer, use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.
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