Ashton is blij met Finland als gastland voor conferentie over massavernietigingswapens (en)

EUROPEAN UNION

Brussels, 17 October 2011

Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the nomination by the UNSG of a facilitator and a host government for the conference in 2012 on the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass

destruction in the Middle East

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, made the following statement:

"I warmly welcome the announcement by the UN Secretary General of the facilitator and the host government for a Conference in 2012 on a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.

I thank Finland for offering to host the 2012 Conference and congratulate Undersecretary Jaakko Laajava of Finland for his nomination as a facilitator. The Secretary General's announcement follows the task given to him and to the co-sponsors in the final document of the 2010 NPT Review Conference on the implementation of the 1995 Middle East Resolution.

The EU has always been fully committed to the establishment of such a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at by the States of the region. Following the NPT Review Conference, the EU organized a successful seminar involving all parties of the region in Brussels last July. The EU is ready to continue its longstanding engagement on the issue and assures the UNSG, the Facilitator Mr. Jaakko Laajava, and the Government of Finland of its full support in the process."

PRESS

FOR FURTHER DETAILS: Michael Mann +32 498 999 780 - +32 2 299 97 80 - Michael. Mann@eeas.europa.eu Maja Kocijancic +32 498 984 425 - +32 2 298 65 70 - Maja.Kocijancic@ec.europa.eu COMM-SPP-HRVP-ASHTON @ec.europa.eu www.eeas.europa.eu