U.S. supports Middle East zone free of weapons of mass destruction
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U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday voiced support for establishing a zone free of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) in the Middle East, but stressed that the United States oppose any action that threat Israel's national security.
"The United States has long supported such a zone, although our view is that a comprehensive and durable peace in the region and full compliance by all regional states with their arms control and nonproliferation obligations are essential precursors for its establishment," said Obama in a statement.
"We strongly oppose efforts to single out Israel, and will oppose actions that jeopardize Israel's national security," said Obama, adding that the greatest threat to proliferation in the Middle East, and to the NPT regime, is "Iran's failure to live up to its NPT obligations."
The 25-day-long Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference concluded at the UN headquarters in New York on Friday with a final document, in which 189 member nations agree on measures toward disarmament and the establishment of a WMD-free zone in the Middle East.
The document calls for all states of the Middle East to attend a conference in 2012 for the establishment of the WMD-free zone, and calls on Israel to sign the NPT and to place "all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency."
"The NPT must be at the center of our global efforts to stop the spread of nuclear weapons around the world, while pursuing the ultimate goal of a world without them," said Obama.
