Egypt Regrets Failure of NPT Review Conference to Reach Consensus

Egypt on Tuesday expressed regret over the failure of the Eleventh Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) to adopt a final document, describing the outcome as a missed opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to the treaty’s objectives.

The conference, held at the United Nations headquarters in New York City from April 27 to May 22, concluded without consensus despite what Egypt said were intensive efforts by participating states and the conference president to bridge differences and reach agreement.

In a statement issued by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Cairo stressed that the outcomes of previous review conferences remain valid and effective, particularly the 1995 resolution calling for the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction.

Egypt said the resolution was adopted as a central component of the agreement that enabled the indefinite extension of the treaty during the 1995 Review and Extension Conference.

The statement reaffirmed the central role of the NPT in preserving and strengthening international security since its adoption in 1968 and called for universal adherence to the treaty, especially by states in the Middle East that remain outside the agreement, as non-nuclear-weapon states.

According to Egypt, the issue received broad support from participating countries during the latest review conference.

Cairo also renewed its call for nuclear-weapon states to take serious and practical steps toward fulfilling their obligations under the treaty related to nuclear disarmament.

It stressed that the implementation of the NPT would remain incomplete without meaningful progress toward nuclear disarmament, warning of the catastrophic humanitarian and environmental consequences associated with the use of nuclear weapons.