Middle East Zone Research Articles

A Balanced Approach to Addressing Nuclear Risks in the Middle East While Preserving the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons

The Review Conference of the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) has been one of the primary international arenas for discussing pathways to establishing a Middle East Weapons of Mass Destruction-Free Zone (ME WMDFZ). This contentious issue was considered the make-or-break factor that determined whether some past Review Conferences could adopt a final document. With the commencement of the Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction in 2019, mandated by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), questions have been raised about whether this new track replaces the NPT in addressing the Zone issue and, if not, in what format both tracks should interact. This essay sets the context for these questions by discussing evolving nuclear risks in the Middle East, the linkages between the NPT and the Zone, and the potential risks of decoupling the Zone issue from the NPT review process. The essay then argues for a balanced approach in which the NPT and the UNGA-mandated tracks function in conjunction with, and complement, each other. This approach would preserve the integrity and efficacy of each process and maintain the region’s commitments to the Zone, to abolishing nuclear weapons and to preventing further proliferation.

God isn’t dead: religion, nuclear norms, and the Middle East

ABSTRACT Religion is understudied as a variable in nuclear-proliferation and nuclear-deterrence policies. This article issues a call to scholars, activists, and practitioners to improve knowledge and strategic intelligence about the connection between religion and nuclear weapons. Such a research program is necessary to fill gaps in the scholarly literature on nuclear norms and nuclear decision making. It is also policy relevant. This is especially true in the Middle East, where all states profess to want a nuclear-weapon-free region and where religion is often used to legitimize political authority and decision making. Efforts to create in the Middle East a zone free of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction (a Middle East Zone) are currently hamstrung by conventional diplomatic concerns over sequencing, monitoring, and the security dilemma. This article posits that interfaith dialogue—one possible manifestation of a reinvigorated research program on religion and nuclear weapons—could both enhance our knowledge of how religious belief influences nuclear decision making and stimulate progress on achieving a Middle East Zone by reframing discourse on such a zone in terms of Abrahamic identity. The proposition is deductive and rooted in constructivist theories of change. It is not idealistic: a constructivist approach and a role for religion does not necessarily indicate pacifism, nor does it require unanimous buy-in for a religious normative order to prevail.

Humanizing the Victims: A Middle East Zone (MEZ) Free of Nuclear Weapons and the Historical Necessity of Including “Other Weapons of Mass Destruction”

ABSTRACT With five nuclear-weapon-free-zones (NWFZ) in place, the Middle East Zone (MEZ), still undergoing negotiations, is the first NWFZ to include “other weapons of mass destruction” in its deliberations. This article seeks to examine the historical necessity of including other weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in the MEZ. It does so by first stressing the destructive and lingering consequences of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons against human populations and the environment. It then provides an overview of the concepts of NWFZs and zones free from other WMDs while stressing the importance of understanding the historical context surrounding these concepts. After establishing these concepts, the article discusses the historical necessity of including other WMDs in addition to nuclear weapons in NWFZ treaties by exploring case studies of the use of these weapons and their consequences. By presenting these case studies, the article demonstrates the necessity of including other WMDs by adding a human face to the consequences of not including other WMDs within the MEZ.

Проблемы и перспективы Договора о нераспространении ядерного оружия

Originally slated for spring 2020, the Tenth Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons took place from August 1 to 26, 2022. The Conference was meant to have an important symbolic significance due to it being initially scheduled to take place in the same year as the 50th anniversary of the entry into force of the NPT and the 25th anniversary of its indefinite extension. As expected, the Review Conference ended without an outcome document, but the states parties came rather close to achieving a consensus. The main obstacle was the wording of the outcome document related to the situation around the Zaporizhzhia NPP. The atmosphere at the Tenth NPT Review Conference was heavy. In addition to ‘chronic’ issues that have plagued the review process for decades, the states parties faced a severe European security crisis fomented by the events in and around Ukraine. The new 2023-2026 NPT review cycle will once again challenge the NPT member states and their resolve to cooperate and work together towards a common goal. Now, more than perhaps ever, it is important to preserve the NPT and the international non-proliferation regime and lay the groundwork for future cooperation that will take place after the current Ukrainian crisis reaches a settlement. It would be highly beneficial if states prepared certain deliverables in advance of the next NPT members meeting. That could include further negotiations on the US-Russia arms control and strategic stability, the restoration of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action on Iranian nuclear program and talks on the establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction.

Publicity, Propaganda and Press: All India Muslim League in Propagation of Demand for Pakistan

The evolution and growth of press in the Subcontinent revolutionized the flow of information and propagation of political activities. All-India Muslim League went through the process of reorganization in the late 1930's and the new political resolve needed more publicity and propaganda to expand further among the masses. League handled the need of the hour by starting its party-owned newspapers while the provincial Leagues and some of the League organs launched their newspapers to publicize policy and program of the party. The major share in the press came from the Leaguers and pro League newspapers from all over India. The last phase of the freedom movement witnessed the emergence of a more radical and outspoken press in support of the demand for Pakistan. Overseas publicity and press remained weak ground for League due it financial constraints. The Middle East zone was omnipresent in League's activities due to its Islamist stance.England publicity wing started working quite late but it remained successful in making a mark over the minds of the public. The American front was neglected and only a few appearances were available to propagate League and its demand for Pakistan.

Roof geometry as a factor of thermal behavior: simulation based study of using vaults and domes in the Middle East zone

Vaults and domes were used as a roofing system and have been developed through time to mitigate the increasing structural, functional and climatic challenges. The evolutions in simulation programs open new research works and projects that study old domed/vaulted buildings practice and also what new constructed buildings designs should be. The significant climatic challenge of the selected region is hot temperature, so the thermal performance of building envelope specially the roofs is an important theme to be discussed. In this research, 14 roof cases between vaults, domes and double domes in five different arch-bases are proposed and thermally examined in three different cities represent three climatic conditions through the Middle East zone which are Cairo, Riyadh and Istanbul. The study depends on Autodesk Simulation CFD that could calculate the solar heating influence with consideration of natural distribution of heat flux and heat transfer. From comparing total heat flux, heat flux per proposed surface area unit and heat flux per horizontal surface area unit of all examined cases, the study finds that the pointed double domes roof is an effective one according to Cairo and Riyadh climatic conditions, while under Istanbul climatic conditions cases of half-circular/pointed domes and vaults have convergent results.

Nonproliferation treaty talks end in acrimony

Issues of nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament take a back seat to a Middle East regional nuclear-free zone.

NUCLEAR ENERGY AS A TOOL TO PROMOTE PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes 1. The interview is based on Amb. Spassky's speech at the international seminar, “2012 Conference on the Middle East Zone Free of Weapons of Mass Destruction—Searching for Solutions,” held by PIR Center on October 4, 2012 in Moscow.

Management and Compilation for Shop Drawing

According to characteristics of building market in middle east zone，this text mainly introduce the importance，characteristic，compilation process and notice of shop drawing during the project construction especially focus on the compilation process of shop drawing. And during process of shop drawing we briefly introduce how to communicate with consultant for producing the shop drawing and how to manage the shop drawing.

Dialogue on Middle East Biological, Nuclear, and Chemical Weapons Disarmament

Negotiations on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of biological, nuclear, and chemical weapons and their means of delivery are now at a critical phase after more than three decades of prenegotiations. This article examines the factors that have impeded negotiations in order to identify the key actors whose mutually reinforcing efforts are essential to its establishment. We argue that current efforts to negotiate a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems (WMDFZ) in the Middle East can learn much from the successful negotiation of other nuclear weapons free zones (NWFZs). Nevertheless, the circumstances in the Middle East are unique and require a more holistic approach. Success here will depend largely on a multidimensional perspective that brings together the energies and insights of a range of state and nonstate actors, not least civil society in the Middle East, where confidence and trust building is too complex and demanding a task to be seen as the preserve of political and geostrategic calculation. Enabling the societies and polities of the region to identify areas of mistrust and misunderstanding across strategic, political, but also cultural and religious divides in order to open up possibilities for dialogue and mutual respect holds the key to creating a favorable negotiating environment.

Studying the Relationship between Coal Consumption and Economic Growth in the Greater Middle East

The present article studies the long-run causal relationship between coal consumption and economic growth in the Greater Middle East zone. Four countries of this zone, Egypt, Iran, Pakistan and Turkey, have been coal consumers in the time period from 1965 to 2008. After performing unit root test for variables, Pedroni co-integration test is to be done. Results indicate that there is no long-run causal relationship between these variables. Therefore, error correction model cannot be estimated. In general, coal consumption in the Greater Middle East has no effect on economic growth. Findings of this research may have an efficient role in policy making in regard to coal consumption (conservation) since decrease of consumption of this energy resource does not change the economic growth in this zone.