Egypt renews its request for Israel to sign nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Egypt has renewed its request to the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna to take practical steps to achieve the universality of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) in the Middle East. Israel, say the Egyptians, should be made to sign the treaty and subject all its nuclear facilities to inspection by the IAEA.

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In his speech to the conference, Egyptian Minister Hassan Younis stressed to delegates the need for the Secretariat of the IAEA to carry out its responsibility for the implementation of the Agency’s decisions. Israel is not a signatory to the NPT and takes no steps in line with IAEA guidance. Mr Younis also called on the secretariat to reveal all information that it holds about Israel’s nuclear facilities.

The Minister said that it is important for the Agency to prepare reference documents for the 2012 conference as it seeks to establish the Middle East as a nuclear-free zone. Such papers should include, he added, details of the scope of IAEA work and alternatives available to ensure that its procedures are applied in the region to verify that nuclear energy is used only for peaceful purposes. A model agreement based on those in use in other regions should also be prepared, he said.