Haidar Ali Balouji at the biennial meeting of the Committee on the Indian Ocean, which was attended by representatives of member states at the UN Secretariat, said, "Following the adoption of the "Declaration on the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace" fifty years ago, the aforementioned region and Declaration have not only retained their importance but also gained even more relevance, given the existing figures on the issue at hand."
Balouji added, "Taking into consideration that this region is home to major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa and East Asia with Europe and the Americas, these vital sea routes facilitate maritime trade in the Indian Ocean region, carry more than half of the world's sea-borne oil and host 23 of the world's top 100 container ports."
"However, the region faces a range of serious security challenges. When taking into account the traditional security threats that are faced, one should not lose sight of emerging threats, such as piracy and drug trafficking as well as environmental degradation, which all pose a significant threat to the growth of the region. Therefore, regional security serves as a public good that can aid both the region and the entire world while simultaneously preventing major powers from competing for control over the resources and sea lanes in the region. "
Iran's representative to the committee on the Indian Ocean added, "Furthermore, the Declaration has also envisaged that the area should be free of nuclear weapons, which is a component necessary for sustainable security in this region. In the same vein, it is still true that devoting the available resources to alliances other than military ones results in heightened tensions incompatible with and requested by the Declaration, which is very much needed."
"We believe that establishing such a zone in the Indian Ocean region for the foreseeable future and implementing the required commitments would greatly contribute towards relaxing international tensions while strengthening international peace and security."
He stated that the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to work with all regional countries "for the advancement of the aforesaid Declaration and assist the Ad-hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean in delivering its required services."
The Ad Hoc Committee on the Indian Ocean was established on 15 December 1972 to study the implications of the implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, adopted by the General Assembly on 16 December 1971.
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