Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah participated today in the Conference on Disarmament (CD) high-level segment (HLS) at the UN headquarters in Geneva.
In his address to the conference, Prince Faisal expressed the Kingdom's appreciation for the support its members showed to it joining CD as an observer, and highlighted the international community's concern about the deadlock in the conference, which remains unable to adopt a clear and comprehensive program of work to fulfill its mandate.
The minister said it is important to address the reasons the conference has reached an impasse, and avoid unilateral positions that hinder the prospects of achieving collective security.
He also emphasized the need for all states to demonstrated flexibility and political will, to enable the conference to carry out its role and expand membership. This would entail reviewing the mechanism concerning observer states seeking membership, to improve the efficiency of this negotiating forum and open new avenues that could contribute to revitalizing its work.
The FM also conveyed the Kingdom's regret at the non-acceptance of the State of Palestine's request to join CD as an observer this year, especially as there is no legal justification for preventing it from doing so.
The minister affirmed that the Kingdom has shown great interest in joining the agreements resulting from the work of this conference, primarily the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological Weapons Convention, and reiterated the Kingdom's support for all regional and international efforts to ban all types of weapons of mass destruction.
He further emphasized the need for all states to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and contribute to making the Middle East a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction, stressing that this is a collective responsibility, not limited to the countries of the region.
The minister reaffirmed the Kingdom's support for ensuring the right of states to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, within the stipulations of nuclear agreements and adhering to nuclear safety standards.
He affirmed the Kingdom's position in support of the right to use outer space exclusively for peaceful purposes, pointing out that the outer space is a common good that does not belong to some, only, and no one has the right to use it for armament purposes, as this poses a serious threat to international peace and security.
He welcomed increased cooperation to address current and future challenges in outer space, and reach decisions leading to reducing space threats by developing policies that comply with international law, the UN Charter, and relevant treaties and agreements.
Prince Faisal called for continued efforts to achieve a balance between outer space security and its peaceful use, to ensure its safety, security, and sustainability, and the well-being of humanity.
