5 October 2008….

Foreign Minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said that Egyptian resolution adopted by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Saturday the 4^th of October, concerning applying the IAEA's safeguards system in the Middle East is a new addition to the Egyptian relentless efforts to render the Middle East a region free from nuclear weapons.

Aboul Gheit welcomed the cooperation of the countries that supported the Egyptian stance throughout the negotiations phase. On the other hand he expressed resentment that some EU countries complied with the Israeli attempts to spread confusion in the IAEA General Conference, in an attempt to distract the international community's attention from the Israeli nuclear activities and facilities which are not subject to the comprehensive safegaurds system of the IAEA.

Aboul Gheit also voiced astonishment about the claims of some Western parties that the Egyptian resolution is considered a politicization of the work of an originally technical body, namely the IAEA. Those same parties, he pointed, have insisted to refer to the Middle East peace process in the text of the resolution, the matter which is considered an obvious abstention from the basis of technical discussion they claim to adhere to, and an actual politicization to the Agency's work.

The Foreign Minister asserted that Egypt's aim will always be not only to adopt international resolutions in this field, but also to sincerely implement them. In this context, all parties should abstain from using the fluctuations of the current peace process as a pretext to disown their commitment to work on establishing a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.

It should be noted in this context, that the Egyptian diplomacy managed to secure the necessary endorsement to the Egyptian resolution, despite the counter pressures practiced by some European parties, in coordination with the Israeli side. The Egyptian diplomacy has mobilized more international support to the Egyptian stance this year among the IAEA member states, including a number of EU countries. Thus, the IAEA General Conference adopted the Egyptian resolution with a majority of 82 votes, without any objections, after two new basic articles were included; the first demands all the Middle East countries – in a hint to Israel – to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty: the second calls upon all the countries of the region to commit to their international obligations and commitments.

It is noteworthy that the draft resolution affirmed the persistent need that all the Middle East countries approve the immediate application of the comprehensive safeguards system on all their nuclear activities as a measure to build confidence among them, and a step to promote peace and security. The resolution also called upon the nuclear countries to help in the establishment of this nuclear weapons free zone and not to carry out any actions that may obstruct this. Furthermore,it called on all the Middle East countries to abstain from nuclear weapons development, production, testing, or possession until this zone is established.