Saudi Arabia Set to Host Workshop on Implementation of Security Council

 

Resolution 1540 (2004) in Riyadh, 11-12 December

Saudi Arabia will host a “Workshop on Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) concerning preventing terrorists from gaining access to weapons of mass destruction” in Riyadh on 11-12 December.

The Kingdom announced its decision at the Nuclear Security Summit held in Washington, D.C., on 12-13 April to organize this Gulf Cooperation Council workshop in cooperation with the competent authorities of the United Nations Security Council.

Claude Heller, Permanent Representative of Mexico and Chairman of the Security Council’s 1540 Committee, and a representative of Lebanon from the subsidiary body have been invited to attend the workshop.  Committee experts, as well as a representative of the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, will make presentations at the workshop.

With the participation of international and national experts, Saudi Arabia is convening the workshop in order to discuss implementation of Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), aiming towards the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and raising awareness of relevant treaties.  The workshop is an important event to strengthen regional and global efforts in support of full implementation of the resolution.

Unanimously adopted on 28 April 2004, resolution 1540 obliges all States to refrain from providing any form of support to non-State actors that may attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport, transfer or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery.  Under the resolution, all States are to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of such weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, including by establishing appropriate controls over related materials.  Resolution 1540 (2004) affirms support for multilateral treaties aimed at eliminating or preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.  It also established the 1540 Committee as a subsidiary body to report to the Council on implementation of the resolution.

For further information, please contact Nikita Smidovich at smidovich@un.org.

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For information media • not an official record