President George H.W. Bush unveils his Middle East arms control initiative

In the wake of the Gulf War, President George H.W. Bush announced a plan intended to curb the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons in the Middle East, as well as the missiles that can deliver them, and expressed support for a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region. The initiative called on all countries in the region to “implement a verifiable freeze on the production and acquisition of weapons-usable nuclear material (enriched uranium or separated plutonium)”. It also called on arms suppliers to establish guidelines “for restraints on destabilizing transfers of conventional arms” to the region. In response, representatives of the P5 held three rounds of meetings from 1991-1992.

Photo credit: George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum

President Bush holds a press conference to discuss Iraq and the situation in the Middle East. 04 January 1991