Egypt says NPT endorsement linked to regional, international developments

Egypt said on Friday that the signing of the Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was linked to regional and international developments.

The developments include the possibility of Israel to join the NPT, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit said in a letter to Tibor Toth, the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization (CBTBTO).

Abul-Gheit noted that Egypt has attended all stages of NPT talks and was among the first countries to sign the treaty.

Cairo is still concerned over the security situation in the Middle East, according to the top Egyptian diplomat.

Despite the various initiatives Egypt proposed on banning all weapons of mass destruction from the region, Egypt feels the nuclear threat was still there.

He noted that all the Arab states signed the NPT and were committed to its obligations but Israel did not.