Kuwait city: The State of Kuwait has declared that the proliferation of weapons, particularly nuclear arms, is fundamentally incompatible with achieving global peace and stability. This stance was articulated by Bandar Al-Enezi, Diplomatic Attaché of Kuwait’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, during a session of the First Committee of the UN General Assembly focused on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT).
According to Kuwait News Agency, Al-Enezi urged that resources should be allocated towards development instead of fueling arms races, especially amid escalating tensions, expanding nuclear arsenals, and the looming threat of nuclear weapon use. These developments, he argued, jeopardize the disarmament and non-proliferation system and weaken its credibility.
Al-Enezi reaffirmed Kuwait’s belief in the NPT as the cornerstone of the non-proliferation system and advocated for renewed cooperation and constructive dialogue. This is particularly vital for the success of the upcoming NPT Review Conference, aiming for tangible progress towards a nuclear-weapon-free world, after two previous conferences failed to finalize a document.
He highlighted Kuwait’s alignment with the statements of the Non-Aligned Movement and the Arab Group on this issue. Al-Enezi also proposed the formation of a dedicated subcommittee on security guarantees within the preparatory framework of the upcoming Review Conference. This initiative is intended to foster constructive dialogue between nuclear-armed and non-nuclear states, enhance the non-proliferation regime’s credibility, and achieve collective security.
The Kuwaiti diplomat underscored the importance of nuclear-weapon-free zones as a crucial component of international security and stability. In line with this, Kuwait reiterated its commitment to establishing a Middle East free from nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, consistent with the 1995 Review Conference resolutions.
Furthermore, Al-Enezi called on the international community to pressure Israel to join the NPT and subject its nuclear facilities to comprehensive safeguards, emphasizing that Israel remains the region’s only non-signatory and is a primary obstacle to establishing a nuclear-weapon-free Middle East.
He criticized recent statements by some ministers in the Israeli government advocating for the use of nuclear weapons against civilians in the Gaza Strip, describing this as a threat to international peace and security and a violation of international norms prohibiting nuclear threats.
Al-Enezi also expressed Kuwait’s appreciation for the mediation efforts of the United States, Qatar, Egypt, and Turkiye in facilitating the Gaza ceasefire agreement.