Kuwait has encouraged the world community to press Israel to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and allow specialists from the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect its nuclear facilities, according to the Kuwait News Agency.

Kuwait’s ambassador to Austria, Talal Al-Fassam, who is also Kuwait’s permanent representative to the International Organizations in Vienna, was speaking at a debate regarding Israel’s nuclear capacities at the IAEA’s 66th annual conference, and stressed the need for the IAEA’s policy-making agencies to keep discussing the topic.

At the same conference, Egypt proposed a draft resolution that would apply the IAEA’s safeguard procedures to the Middle East. The resolution was adopted by the attendees with 117 votes in favor, seven abstentions and Israel’s opposition.
KUNA said the resolution underscored the urgent need for all Middle Eastern countries to accept the implementation of the safeguards to build confidence among regional countries, and to boost peace and security as a step toward ensuring that there are no nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

Attendees also decided to step up international cooperation on the safe transfer of nuclear and radioactive waste. They also expressed support for the IAEA director general’s plan to safeguard the Ukrainian nuclear plant in Zaporizhzhia.
The conferees also urged Iran to cooperate with the IAEA and acknowledge the presence of uranium residues, recently discovered by IAEA experts in the country.