Five permanent UN Security Council members support Mideast nuclear arms ban

[Scurrilous]

Source: Haaretz

U.S., Russia, Britain, France and China voice support for 'full implementation' of nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

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"The United States, Russia, Britain, France and China on Wednesday voiced support for making the Middle East a nuclear-arms-free zone, which would mean Israel would have to scrap any atomic bombs in its possession.

"We are committed to a full implementation of the 1995 NPT resolution on the Middle East and we support all ongoing efforts to this end," the five permanent UN Security Council members said in a unanimous statement issued at a conference taking stock of the 1970 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The 1995 resolution adopted by signatories of the landmark arms control treaty called for making the Middle East a zone without nuclear arms.

Israel, which is widely believed to have nuclear weapons, is the only country in the Middle East not to have signed the treaty and, along with India and Pakistan, one of only three countries worldwide outside the agreement. Iran, though a signatory, is accused by the West of flouting treaty requirements to disclose its nuclear activities."

Read more: http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/five-permanent-un-security-council-members-support-mideast-nuclear-arms-ban-1.288467