UN General Assembly
1996

nationals of other countries detained in Iraq, in the hope that Iraq’s full compliance and further cooperation with the United Nations Special Commission on Iraq will pave the way for the possible lifting of the international embargo and the restoration of peace and stability in the region. With regard to the question of disarmament, the United Nations has played an important role in diffusing the threat of weapons of mass destruction and promoting an equitable balance between the regional Powers. My country has participated in the Commission on Disarmament’s meetings on regional security as part of an international effort to reactivate peace negotiations in the Middle East. While actively supporting the Commission, the Sultanate of Oman would point out that such efforts alone cannot guarantee equitable security in the region if they are not paired with other effective and practical measures to eliminate weapons of mass destruction there and to promote comprehensive and unconditional acceptance of international monitoring and inspection of all activities related to this matter. The Sultanate of Oman was also among the first