KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 29 — Malaysia deeply regrets that Palestine’s application to participate as an observer state at the United Nation’s Conference on Disarmament (CD) for the 2024 session was objected to by some delegations.
Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin, when delivering the country’s statement at the 2024 Session of the conference in Geneva on Wednesday, said Malaysia is of the view that Palestine has equal rights to participate in the work of the conference.
He noted that Palestine is a permanent observer state of the United Nations and a state party to disarmament agreements, namely the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), which were negotiated and adopted by the CD.
“Malaysia underlines the importance of the principles of inclusivity and multilateralism in the work of the conference,” he said.
Mohamad said Malaysia further called for the expansion of the conference’s membership for a wider engagement within the international community.
He said Malaysia also called on member states to agree on a Programme of Work, noting that it is vital for CD to overcome all obstacles before it could fulfil its mandate of negotiating disarmament and non-proliferation instruments.
Mohamad is leading the Malaysian delegation to the High-Level Segment of the Human Rights Council and High-Level Segment of the CD, from February 27 to 29 in Geneva, Switzerland.
At the Human Rights Council, Mohamad met with the High Commissioner of Human Rights, Volker Turk, according to the Foreign Ministry.
— Bernama
