The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward
It has been almost five decades since the initiative to transform the Middle East into a zone free of nuclear weapons was launched in the UN General Assembly in 1974. Despite sustained diplomatic efforts by the Arab states, the zone remained an unrealized concept that is stuck in the pre-negotiation...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament |
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| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25751654.2022.2085429 |
| _version_ | 1828780147148324864 |
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| author | Wael Al Assad |
| author_facet | Wael Al Assad |
| author_sort | Wael Al Assad |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | It has been almost five decades since the initiative to transform the Middle East into a zone free of nuclear weapons was launched in the UN General Assembly in 1974. Despite sustained diplomatic efforts by the Arab states, the zone remained an unrealized concept that is stuck in the pre-negotiation phase. For every step forward there were two backward. The history of the zone is littered with unfulfilled promises by the international community. Nonetheless, the latest developments in the last few years indicate that the zone concept is still very much alive. This article will highlight some of the milestones in the history of the zone, look at some of the misconceptions surrounding the initiative, and examine the motivations and rationale behind it and why the advocates of the zone to continue to pursue it in all relevant international forums. The article will also attempt to draw some lessons learned along the way in the turbulent and long history of the zone, and, finally suggest some steps to move forward toward the endgame. In the analysis of these issues, the article will present an Arab perspective, which has not been sufficiently reflected in much of the literature or research available. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:12:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-70575606a4d8466b986b504f3909647a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-1654 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T17:12:35Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament |
| spelling | doaj.art-70575606a4d8466b986b504f3909647a2022-12-22T00:57:27ZengTaylor & Francis GroupJournal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament2575-16542022-01-015111412210.1080/25751654.2022.2085429The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way ForwardWael Al Assad0PUGWASH Council (PUGWASH International Conferences), Former High Representative of the Arab League for Disarmament and Regional Security/Member of the Pugwash CouncilIt has been almost five decades since the initiative to transform the Middle East into a zone free of nuclear weapons was launched in the UN General Assembly in 1974. Despite sustained diplomatic efforts by the Arab states, the zone remained an unrealized concept that is stuck in the pre-negotiation phase. For every step forward there were two backward. The history of the zone is littered with unfulfilled promises by the international community. Nonetheless, the latest developments in the last few years indicate that the zone concept is still very much alive. This article will highlight some of the milestones in the history of the zone, look at some of the misconceptions surrounding the initiative, and examine the motivations and rationale behind it and why the advocates of the zone to continue to pursue it in all relevant international forums. The article will also attempt to draw some lessons learned along the way in the turbulent and long history of the zone, and, finally suggest some steps to move forward toward the endgame. In the analysis of these issues, the article will present an Arab perspective, which has not been sufficiently reflected in much of the literature or research available.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25751654.2022.2085429Middle Eastweapons of mass destructionnuclear weaponArab |
| spellingShingle | Wael Al Assad The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward Journal for Peace and Nuclear Disarmament Middle East weapons of mass destruction nuclear weapon Arab |
| title | The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward |
| title_full | The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward |
| title_fullStr | The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward |
| title_short | The Quest for a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East: History, Lessons Learned, and the Way Forward |
| title_sort | quest for a wmd free zone in the middle east history lessons learned and the way forward |
| topic | Middle East weapons of mass destruction nuclear weapon Arab |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/25751654.2022.2085429 |
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