Ambassador Jaakko Laajava, facilitator of the Middle East Zone free of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMDs), has said he remains optimistic about the prospect of convening a conference with representation from all countries in the region.
Making the remarks at last week's joint meeting of the United Nations and Global Security and Non-Proliferation All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs), Mr Laajava explained that, whilst not yet ready to enter the negotiating phase, all states in the Middle East, as well as the four Conference Convenors (Russia, USA, UK and the UN Secretary-General), are engaging constructively on this issue.
To date, there have been five rounds of informal multilateral consultations in Switzerland with the attendance of a significant number of Arab states as well as Israel. These meetings have been valuable from a confidence-building perspective and will help pave the way for the proposed diplomatic conference on this matter.
However, citing the rise of ISIS and other non-state actors, as well as Iran’s nuclear programme and the devastation in Syria, Mr Laajava acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge that lies ahead:
“Enormous cooperation is required between states that have very little mutual trust…At this stage, confidence-building measures are essential”
The creation of a Middle East WMD Free Zone will be a key issue on the agenda at the upcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which takes place in New York from 27 April to 22 May.
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Image: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Jaakko Laajava, Facilitator for the Middle East WMD Free Zone. Copyright: UN Photo/Mark Garten
