China calls for the establishment of nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East 

China called for exerting more efforts to support the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East, demanding that all of Israel’s nuclear facilities be subject to comprehensive safeguards by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Xinhua News Agency quoted Li Song, China’s permanent representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency, at a meeting of the agency’s Board of Governors on Wednesday, saying: “The Middle East should not be threatened by nuclear weapons, and this is a common call from the countries of the region.”

Li said that his country actively supports efforts to establish a free zone of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

The Chinese official called on “Israel” to join the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and subject all its nuclear facilities to the comprehensive safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

He expressed his hope that the countries concerned in the region and the countries possessing nuclear weapons will shoulder their responsibilities and participate in the process of establishing a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction within the framework of the United Nations.

Li pointed out that China is working effectively to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians and put an end to the aggression in Gaza Strip.

It is noteworthy that the meeting of the Board of Governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency opened on Wednesday and will continue until tomorrow, Friday.

Inas Abdulkareem