LOC21:41
18:41 GMT
VIENNA, Sept 21 (KUNA) -- Egypt has said IAEA's credibility to honoring its
objectives was closely linked to how the UN nuclear watchdog was seriously
dealing with all member states to establish a zone free of nuclear weapons in
the Middle East.
The IAEA should also be serious in applying its comprehensive safeguards on
all nuclear facilities in the Middle East, Egypt's ambassador to Austria and
its representative to the Vienna-based international organizations Khaled
Shamaa said Friday.
It has been 20 years since IAEA's general conference urged all Middle
Eastern countries to fully comply with nuclear non-proliferation, he said, but
Israel has failed to take any step in that direction.
Addressing IAEA's general conference, Shamaa said the International Atomic
Energy Agency should make sure the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was
respected to ultimately achieve regional and international peace and security.
All regional countries except Israel have shown commitment to IAEA's
verification mechanism, he said, and commended IAEA director general Yukia
Amano's endeavors to clearing the Middle East from nuclear arms.
The IAEA approved last night an Egyptian draft resolution over application
of safeguards in the Middle East. The draft gained 110 votes in favor, eight
abstained and Israel opposed it.
The resolution calls on all countries in the Middle East to immediately
accept IAEA's safeguards over its nuclear activities in order to boost
confidence regionally, cement regional and international peace and security.
(end)
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KUNA 212141 Sep 12NNNN