International support for Egypt's draft resolution on disarmament

Assistant Foreign Minister for Multilateral Relations Ambassador Sayyed Qassem said yesterday that Egypt has rallied an international support to its draft resolution on disarmament and freeing the world and the Middle East of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

Qassem asserted that Egypt will continue to endorse the resolution, recently approved by major states in the Assembly, regarding the dangers of nuclear proliferation in the Mideast.

"Egypt and the European Union (EU) have initiated serious negotiations, on the sidelines of the UN meeting," he said, noting that Cairo was able to muster support to its proposed resolution, with 149 states voting in its favor.

This backing to the Egyptian draft resolution came as a result of the Egyptian diplomatic activities with various geographical groups, including the EU.

Egypt urges the UN to have a record not only of each country's import and export of weapons but also of its arms production.

Qassem voiced hope that the UN resolutions would help create a world free of nuclear weapons, adding that Egypt is coordinating, in this regard, with the G-8.