NEW YORK — Saudi Arabia urged the international community, the United Nations and parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to fulfill their obligations towards the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

Stressing that establishment of such a zone is the collective responsibility at an international level, the Kingdom urged the international community to fulfill their obligations to promote peace, security and stability in the region and the world.

Kingdom's permanent delegation to the United Nations, First Secretary Mohammed Al-Qahtani, made these assertions during the debate on nuclear weapons at the First Committee for Disarmament and International Security at the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday.

Al-Qahtani said that the Kingdom reaffirms that Israel's continued refusal to accede to the NPT and subject all its nuclear facilities to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) comprehensive safeguards constitutes a serious threat to international peace and security, as well as a violation of dozens of relevant UNSC resolutions.

The delegate said, the Kingdom stresses the importance of a "comprehensive international agreement" on Iran's nuclear program to ensure that it is prevented from obtaining nuclear weapons in any way.

Al-Qahtani welcomed the call by the UN Secretary General to hold the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction next November under the chairmanship of Jordan and called on all invitees to participate in this conference without any preconditions.

He stated that the Kingdom affirms the inherent right of all countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with the standards and procedures of IAEA.

He stressed that the Kingdom supports the facilitation of transfer of technology, expertise and equipment related to the acquisition of atomic energy for peaceful uses. —SG/SPA