Press release, 24.11.2012

The conveners of the Conference on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, the United Nations Secretary-General, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States, have issued statements regarding the convening of the conference, planned for 2012 in Helsinki.

"We regret that the conference will not be convened this year. However, the conveners have reaffirmed their commitment to convene the conference and Finland as the host Government remains prepared to organise it once convened. We will continue our efforts to prepare the ground together with the conveners and the States of the region for the earliest possible convening of a successful conference, to be attended by all states of the region. To that end, I propose multilateral consultations to be held as soon as possible", says Ambassador Jaakko Laajava from the Finnish Foreign Ministry, who is in charge of undertaking preparations for the conference as the facilitator.

Further information: Ambassador Aapo Pölhö, tel. +358-40-3509892, e-mail aapo.polho@formin.fi