The remarks were carried in a speech delivered by Khalifa Abdul Rahman Al Marzouqi, member of the UAE delegation to United Nations, before the first committee of the UN General Assembly for Disarmament and International Security.The meeting tackled setting up of a nuclear arms free zone in the Middle East.

He added that the insistence of Israel to keep the nuclear arsenal is the main reason that makes the Middle East the most volatile region in the world.

Marzouqi reiterated the stance of the UAE, which denounces with strong terms the sole possession of Israel of the nuclear arsenal.

He called on the committee to revisit the previous international resolutions in this regard.

Marzouqi called for slapping diplomatic, political and economic pressures on Israel to join unconditionally the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and that Israel should be compelled to exercise transparency in this regard.

About the Iranian nuclear file, Marzouqi urged Iran to continue its cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and international community and adhere to the UN Security Council resolutions to allay fears over the nature of its nuclear programmes to safeguard security and stability of the region and the world.

He stressed the legitimacy of developing countries to access nuclear peaceful technology under supervision of the IAEA as per fourth article of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

He added that the UAE hopes the members of the committee will support voting for the two draft resolutions submitted by Arab members over setting up of the zone free from the weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.   —