The Resolution for a Middle East free from weapons of mass destruction tabled by AKEL has been unanimously approved

 

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS CALLS FOR A MIDDLE EAST FREE FROM WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

 

On the initiative of AKEL and on the occasion of 26th September, which has been proclaimed as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus unanimously passed on Thursday 2nd October a Resolution for nuclear disarmament.

The Resolution calls for the immediate beginning of negotiations at a Conference for Disarmament for the timely conclusion at a comprehensive Treaty on nuclear weapons that will ban their possession, development, production, purchase, testing, storage, transportation and use or threat of use and in addition, will provide for their destruction.

More specifically, the Resolution also deals with the region of the Eastern Mediterranean, expressing the serious concern of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus about the fact that states in our region maintain and develop a nuclear arsenal in breach of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and calls on all states to co-sign and implement it.

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus stressed the importance of the declaration of a de-nuclearized zones on the planet as steps in the process for world nuclear disarmament and expressed its regret for the postponement of the planned conference under the auspices of the United Nations for the declaration of the Middle East into a zone free from weapons of mass destruction.

All the parliamentary parties of Cyprus are unanimously in favour of the Middle East being declared a zone free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. Indeed it is underlined that this procedure must certainly also include Turkey which is hosting nuclear weapons on its territory. The declaration of the Middle East as a zone free from weapons of mass destruction must in addition, according to the Resolution, be accompanied by security guarantees from the five recognised nuclear states to the countries inside the zone, as well as with regulations that will prohibit the transportation of nuclear weapons via the zone, whilst the nuclear states will pledge to abandon the general practice of not declaring whether nuclear weapons are on their ships. Furthermore, the Resolution expresses the assessment that such a development will have a catalytic positive impact on security in the region and on the peace process in the Middle East.

 

There follows the unaltered text of the Resolution approved:

 

Resolution of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus

The House of Representatives of the Republic of Cyprus,

On the occasion of 26th September, which has been proclaimed as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons,

Taking into account all the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly of the United Nations with regards nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament,

Taking into account Resolution 68/32 (5th December 2013), which calls for an immediate beginning of negotiations at the Conference on Disarmament for An early conclusion at a comprehensive Treaty on nuclear weapons, that will prohibit their occupation, development, production, purchase, testing, storage, transportation and use or threat to use and in addition, that will provide for their destruction,

Taking into account the announced convening in the relevant resolution of a high-level UN International Conference by 2018 on nuclear disarmament and the assessment of the progress and the declaration of 26th September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons,

Recognising the devastating and irreparable consequences the potential use of nuclear weapons or a serious nuclear accident will have on the life of the whole planet,

Concerned in particular about the fact that states and military alliances are continuing to base their military power on their nuclear capabilities which they are developing and evolving,

Taking into account that the Non-Proliferation Treaty of Nuclear Weapons, which allows only five states to maintain a nuclear arsenal is of crucial importance and must be implemented and respected by all the states of the world and in all its parameters,

Recognising however that as long as there is no progress in the nuclear disarmament procedure the questioning of the Treaty is growing which enables certain states to maintain a nuclear arsenal and not others,

Expressing serious concern about the fact that states in our region, but also in the rest of the world maintain and develop a nuclear arsenal in violation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,

Supporting strongly that world nuclear disarmament and the total abolition of nuclear weapons represents the only real guarantee to the threat to use or the use of nuclear weapons,

 

Recognising that the declaration of denuclearised zones on the planet constitutes a significant step in the process of world nuclear disarmament,

Expressing regret about the postponement of the plannedconference under the auspices of the UN on the proclamation of the Middle East into a zone free from weapons of mass destruction,

 

Votes as follows:

1. Welcomes Resolution 68/32 (5th December 2013) of the UN General Assembly.

2. Expresses unreserved support to the goal of world nuclear disarmament and the total elimination of nuclear weapons as soon as possible.

3. Recalls that Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons includes the obligation of all states that have signed it to seek in good faith negotiations for effective measures, aiming at the termination of the nuclear arms race in the immediate near future and nuclear disarmament, as well as to a Treaty for general and full disarmament under strict and effective international control.

4. Calls on all states to co-sign and ratify promptly the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

5. Urges that the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty be put into force as soon as possible.

6. Backs the immediate convening of a UN International Conference aiming at the declaration of the Middle East into a zone free from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. It believes that Turkey must certainly also be included in this procedure which hosts nuclear weapons on its territory. The declaration of the Middle East as a zone free from weapons of mass destruction must be accompanied by security guarantees from the five recognised nuclear states towards the countries within the zone, as well as regulations that will prohibit the transportation of nuclear weapons via the zone, whilst the nuclear states will pledge to abandon the general practice of not stating whether nuclear weapons are on their ships. It considers that such a development will have catalytic consequences on the security of the region and the peace procedure in the Middle East.

7. Urges the European Union and its member states to make nuclear disarmament a priority of foreign policy and security policy and contribute so that the current deadlock in the negotiations on nuclear disarmament is breached.

8. Calls on the Cyprus government to develop action and take initiatives both on the level of the European Union and the United Nations, as well as on bilateral levels to promote the goal of world nuclear disarmament.

9. Calls on the government to make use of the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons every year to inform and enlighten Cypriot society and in particular the young generation about humanity’s painful historical experiences from the use of nuclear weapons and to transmit the message for the pressing need for world nuclear disarmament.