UN General Assembly
1993

regional confidence-building measures, including placement of all facilities and installations under the safeguards mechanism of the International Atomic Energy Agency and accession by all regional States to all international disarmament instruments, particularly the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the chemical weapons Convention, constitute the most important elements for the establishment of a zone free from nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East. Furthermore, the reckless build-up of conventional weapons has not only devoured much needed resources, but also reinforced the atmosphere of mistrust and anxiety. Different areas have, as a result, become fair ground for political, economic and commercial exploitation by countries and companies that manufacture weapons. The decision of the General Assembly to establish a Register of Conventional Arms Transfers constitutes a positive first step which should be strengthened and further refined. However, it is evident that transparency in armaments cannot by itself control horizontal or vertical proliferation of conventional weapons in the world. Therefore, what is really necessary, globally and particularly in the Middle East, is serious and genuine international cooperation for the