Syria Urges International Community to Pressure Israel to join NPT
VIENNA, (ST)-Syria has called on the International Community to pressure Israel as to join the Nuclear Non –Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and to put its nuclear facilities under the control and inspection of the International Atomic Energy Agency IAEA) without any conditions.
Bassam al-Sabbagh, Syria’s Permanent Representative at the IAEA in Vienna called on the International Community to stop overlooking Israel’s violations of nuclear non-proliferation.
In his speech during the IAEA 59th Session on Tuesday, al-Sabbagh said many IAEA member states are concerned over Israel’s possession of unsupervised nuclear capabilities because they will pose serious threat to peace and security in the Middle East and the world if the world takes into consideration Israel’s hostile behavior and tendency to wage wars and occupy the lands of its neighboring countries.
“Israel used to ignore all international resolutions against it. What is regrettable is that some influential member states adopt double-standard policies by claiming that they are seeking the achievement of nuclear non-proliferation in the whole world while at the same time they ignore this goal when it comes to Israel’s nuclear capabilities, not to mention these countries’ support for Israel to develop its nuclear program,” al-Sabbagh said.
He stressed that being one of the first states to join the NPT, Syria has been committed to the treaty’s sublime principles which provide for using nuclear power for peaceful purposes only. Syria has also believed that dialogue, diplomacy and international cooperation are the best way to solve disputes among member countries.
Al-Sabbagh, who welcomed the Iranian nuclear deal, said that Iran’s abiding by IAEA measures has proved the honest intention of the Iranian political leadership and its sought to enhance the confidence of the international community in it, while, on the other hand, Israel is still challenging the international community by refusing to join the NPT, depending in this on its allies’ absolute support.
Hamda Mustafa