European Union

EU Statement on Cluster II regional issues – including with respect to the Middle East and implementation of the 1995 Middle East resolution

Second Preparatory Committee for the 11th Review Conference of the Parties

to the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT)

Geneva, 22 July – 2 August 2024

Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, Republic of Moldova[1] and Georgia as well as the EFTA countries Iceland and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

It remains a strategic priority of the EU to support peace and stability in the entire Middle East. The EU reaffirms its full support for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear and all other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems in the Middle East. We consider the 1995 NPT Resolution valid until its goals and objectives are achieved and strongly support the outcome of the 2010 NPT Review Conference on the Middle East.

The EU notes the four sessions of the “UN Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction” and their outcomes. The EU recalls that, as stated in the 2010 NPT Review Conference Action Plan, such zones can only be established on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among States of the region concerned. Especially in the current context, we strongly encourage all stakeholders, and especially the States of the region, to engage in meaningful consultations in order to build an inclusive and consensus-based process towards the implementation of the 1995 NPT Resolution.

The EU reiterates its firm support for the full, complete, and effective implementation of the NPT and its three pillars, and for its universalisation. We continue to call on all States in the region, which have not yet done so, to accede to and abide by relevant international treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and all relevant WMD related Treaties. We call on all States in the region to bring into force a Comprehensive Safeguards Agreement and an Additional Protocol which represent the current IAEA verification standard under Article III of the NPT and, as applicable, to rescind or modify their Small Quantities Protocol. Universal subscription to The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation would also contribute to regional confidence building, which is necessary for progress towards a Middle East WMD free zone. In this regard, we welcome Qatar’s subscription to the Code in March this year.

The EU continues to stand ready to assist in the process and help produce a conducive atmosphere. In this regard, the EU provides significant funding to a project by the UN Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) on a process of confidence-building, most recently through the EU Council Decision of June 2023 with financial support of 2.1 million Euros.  During phase I of the project, work on a common narrative contributed to mapping various steps towards the zone taken in the past. Several meetings brought regional actors together for constructive discussions on the zone and its future. During the current phase II, also funded by the EU, work focuses on deepening understanding of regional issues, building regional capacities and supporting technical and legal aspects related to the implementation of the zone. An EU side event in the margins of this NPT PrepCom highlighted the achievements of this UNIDIR project and next steps.

The EU Centres of Excellence established in Jordan, Algeria, Morocco and the United Arab Emirates also assist the Middle East region to mitigate CBRN risks and contribute to enhanced capacity building in the region and cooperation between these States.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[1] North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.