NEW YORK // The Government said it supported UN proposals to keep nuclear weapons out of the Middle East.
The UAE and other Arab League members endorsed two draft resolutions being debated by the UN General Assembly's committee on disarmament and international security.
Officials have long assumed that Israel has nuclear arms. Iran and Syria are alleged to have nuclear-weapons programmes.
A draft resolution released this week, sponsored by Egypt, calls for a "nuclear-weapon-free zone" in the Middle East, suggesting that governments "declare solemnly that they will refrain, on a reciprocal basis, from producing, acquiring or in any other way possessing nuclear weapons".
The resolution further suggests that countries "agree to place their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and to declare their support for the establishment of the zone".
A second draft resolution highlights the "threats posed by the proliferation of nuclear weapons to the security and stability of the Middle East".
The document notes that Israel is the only country in the region that is not party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and calls on non-signatories to accept the "international legally binding commitment not to acquire nuclear weapons".
The draft documents follow similar non-binding General Assembly resolutions from previous UN sessions.
Hani Mohamed bin Huwaidin, from the UAE mission to the UN, said both resolutions were supported by the Government. Committee members expect to see the draft resolutions adopted either by vote or consensus towards the end of the month.
The Government outlined its concerns surrounding nuclear weapons earlier this month when Ahmed al Jarman, Ambassador to the UN, warned committee members of the threats posed by reckless arms trading.
"The challenges facing international peace and security were compounded, not only by the race to acquire arms, but by a backdrop of smuggling arms and dangerous materials, making it possible for dangerous weapons to fall into the hands of extremists," he said.
While affirming the right of the UAE and other countries to use atomic energy to generate electricity, Mr Jarman called on "countries that did not possess those weapons, but wished to do so" to "reconsider their position".
Mr Jarman urged Israel to dismantle any atomic weapons it might have and said Iran should be flexible in settling its disagreements with the West over its nuclear programme.
Speaking in the same debate, the UN's high representative for disarmament affairs, the Brazilian Sergio Duarte, said world leaders were still arguing about nuclear-weapons concerns that were debated 30 years ago.
Mankind was still "confronted with an unprecedented threat of self-extinction arising from the massive and competitive accumulation of the most destructive weapons ever produced", Mr Duarte said.
Mr Duarte said Iran's activities were particularly concerning.
Delegates from Iran and Syria were not available for comment, but each country has denied having a nuclear-weapons programme.
Representatives of Israel were not available for comment.
@Email:jreinl@thenational.ae
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
TOUR DE FRANCE INFO
Dates: July 1-23
Distance: 3,540km
Stages: 21
Number of teams: 22
Number of riders: 198
The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
The%20specs
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 194hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 275Nm from 2,000-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Price: from Dh155,000
On sale: now
