“The need, indeed the urgency to create such zones has become apparent, especially in the Middle East, where it remains, more than ever, a prominent regional approach to international peace and security, in accordance with Article 7 of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),” said Zniber at a panel on “nuclear weapons free zones and weapons of mass destruction.”
Given the current geopolitical and security context, this issue is more than ever an unavoidable priority, he observed, noting that it is with great interest that Morocco takes part in this thematic panel, to share the deep concerns of the international community regarding the dramatic development of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.
In this context, Morocco has consistently supported the decisions aimed at strengthening the NPT review process, recalled Zniber, adding that, consequently, the Kingdom fully subscribes to the positive conclusions of the Review Conferences since 1995 and reaffirms the importance of their implementation by States Parties in a transparent, balanced and irreversible manner.
Morocco remains deeply concerned about the danger posed by the acquisition and potential use of nuclear, chemical, biological or radiological weapons by non-State actors and armed groups, particularly in the Middle East, he added, warning of the humanitarian consequences of the use of such weapons.
“The idea of this impact must mobilize us all to take the necessary steps to hasten the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East,” the diplomat said.
Morocco remains convinced that mutual dialogue and the strengthening of the capacities of the States of the region to implement the provisions of the relevant non-proliferation and disarmament legal regimes, including on a voluntary basis, constitute an important step towards the establishment of trusting relations leading to the establishment of the Middle East NWFZ.
