FOU, Alm.del - 2011-12 - Bilag 10: Deklarationen "Joint Parliamentary Statement for a Middle East Zone Free from Nuclear Weapons and all other Weapons of Mass Destruction", fra Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND)

Dear Denmark Parliament of the PNND network,At our Annual Assembly in Bern earlier this month, PNND members drafted aJoint ParliamentaryStatement for a Middle East Zone Free from Nuclear Weapons and all other Weapons ofMass DestructionDestruction.We are now circulating the statement to parliamentarians in the Middle East region and around theworld to build support.» Will you consider signing theStatement for a Middle East Zonetoday? »"The United Nations has annually adopted a consensus resolution, i.e. one including support of allStates in the region, calling for the establishment of a nuclear weapon free zone in the Middleweapon-freeEast," says PNND Global Coordinat or Alyn Ware, "but governments by themselves have not beenCoordinatorable to develop the political momentum or bridge the political divides to achieve this vital goal.Parliamentarians can collaborate across borders to ensure success."TheJoint Parliamentary Statementwas crafted through extensive consultations with officials andexperts in Israel, Arab countries and Iran on a balanced approach to peace and disarmament in theapproachMiddle East, and the role of parliamentarians."Parliamentarians have been vital in the establishment of Nuclear Weapon Free Zones in otherWeapon-Freeregions including Antarctica, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Pacific, Africa, South EastAsia and Central Asia," says Hon Matt Robson, PNND Council Member and the former New ZealandMinister for Disarmament and Arms Control. "Most of these zones were difficult to achieve,including countries or territories that were involve d in nuclear testing, deployment or extendedinvolvednuclear deterrence doctrines. The experience in overcoming these difficulties to develop securitywithout nuclear weapons can encourage success in the Middle East."To sign the statement, or for more informationcontact PNND Global Coordinator Alyn Wareinformation,Ware.»Read moreabout theBern Annual Assembly»Read the relatedpress releaseabout the role of MPs in building a safer Middle East

East Zone Free from Nuclear Weapons and all other Weapons of Mass Destruction;We affirmthe role of the United Nations in assisting in the development of such a zone, consistentwith the principles and guidelines for establishing nuclear-weapon-free zones endorsed by the UNGeneral Assembly;We welcomethe consensus resolutions adopted by the United Nations General Assembly annuallysince 1980 affirming that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of theMiddle East would greatly enhance international peace and security;We emphasisethe importance of comprehensive peace negotiations in the Middle East as anappropriate framework for the peaceful settlement of contentious issues and to enhance nationaland regional security in the region;We welcomeall initiatives relating to general and complete disarmament, including in the region ofthe Middle East, and note the importance of making progress on the control of conventionalweapons, and on the elimination of weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons;Wecommendthe leadership of the United Nations Secretary-General in advancing a Five-PointProposal for Nuclear Disarmament including, among others things, the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones, entry-into-force of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, achievement of atreaty on fissile materials, and negotiations for the global abolition of nuclear weapons through anuclear weapons convention or package of agreements;We especially welcomethe appointment by the United Nations Secretary-General of a facilitatortasked to conduct consultations with the States of the region, and undertake preparations for theconvening of a Conference to be attended by all States of the Middle East, on the establishment ofa zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction;We call on all governments– especially those in the Middle East and the Nuclear Weapon States –to collaborate in good faith with the UN Facilitator in order to pave the way for the Conference andfor subsequent negotiations for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all otherweapons of mass destruction;We welcomeprovisional confidence building measures which support the process for achieving azone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, including the placing ofall nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards, and full adherence to the Chemical WeaponsConvention and Biological Weapons Convention;We encourage all Middle East countries,pending the establishment of the zone, not to develop,produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or permit the stationing on their territories, orterritories under their control, of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices;We call on parliamentarians and parliamentsto act in support of the establishment of a zone freeof nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.*****************************************To add your name to the list of supporters contact:Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament,[email protected],www.pnnd.org