New York, US – Oman is chairing a new round of United Nations talks aimed at advancing negotiations towards a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, as regional states examine how a future treaty could be structured and enforced.

The third meeting of the Working Committee for the seventh session of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction opened at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday and will continue on Wednesday.

H E Omar bin Said Al Kathiri, Oman’s Permanent Representative at the UN and president of the conference’s seventh session, is chairing the meeting.

The discussions form part of preparations for the next session of the conference, scheduled in New York from November 16 to 20.

The UN process brings together countries from the region in negotiations aimed at eventually establishing a treaty prohibiting nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction across the Middle East.

The current meeting is focusing on some of the more difficult practical questions surrounding such an agreement, including the institutions that would be needed to monitor implementation and facilitate cooperation between participating states.

Delegates are also examining how a future regional treaty would interact with existing international agreements on disarmament and non-proliferation, with the aim of avoiding overlapping or contradictory obligations.

Another focus is the experience of regions that have already established nuclear-weapon-free zones. Participants are studying their legal, institutional and technical models to identify elements that could be adapted to the Middle East.

In its national statement, Oman called for negotiations to continue through cooperation and consensus.

Muscat said preparatory meetings held this year had helped deepen understanding among participating states on several aspects of a possible future treaty and allowed them to draw on international experience.

The latest talks are part of a series of working committee meetings being held during Oman’s presidency of the seventh session, intended to narrow differences before formal negotiations resume in November.

Oman said it would continue working with participating states and the United Nations to build common ground and bring positions closer together.

The process seeks to establish a regional framework under which states would eventually commit themselves to a Middle East free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction, with agreed mechanisms for implementation and oversight.