The Middle East Treaty Organization (METO) is a coalition of civil society activists and practitioners seeking to rid the Middle East from all weapons of mass destruction as a gateway toward regional security and peace. We advance our goal through policy, advocacy and educational programs.
Vision | A peaceful, integrated and thriving Middle East built on human and environmental security.
Mission | To eradicate WMDs, broker peace and build security in the Middle East
The Bottom Line
To establish a Weapons of Mass Destruction Free Zone in the Middle East (WMDFZ or the Zone)—first proposed by Egypt in 1990 and supported by Iran—with the aim of eliminating chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons from all twenty-two Arab countries in the Middle East and North Africa plus Iran and Israel.
The Problem
Although the process to establish a WMDFZ in the Middle East has near-universal support, for decades it has been mired with fractious dispute over how and when to get there. This combined with the geopolitical realities leaves stakeholders more familiar with the obstacles than the opportunities.
Our Solution
We believe a WMDFZ in the Middle East can be advanced through a treaty-based approach involving three key components:
1) A WMDFZ Treaty—a text freely arrived at by relevant governments and stakeholders through an inclusive process.
2) A Regional Organization—to oversee the treaty’s eventual implementation, verification and compliance.
3) Civil Society Engagement—to advance a robust civil society movement ensuring governments deliver on their commitments to non-proliferation and human security.
In a proactive effort to turn the vision of the Zone into practical steps, we began crafting a living Draft Treaty text that could form the basis for discussion, and we established a preparatory organization named the Middle East Treaty Organization (METO).
Our Approach
The METO, evolving Draft Treaty text combined with our advocacy work continues to assist with the process toward the Zone by providing governments a tangible and realistic path forward. These efforts are further strengthened through our public outreach campaigns, educational programs and building partnerships with a broad coalition of civil society organizations.
Note: METO’s draft treaty is an evolving text, which will remain a draft only. We do not represent states or governments, but civil society. We are not attached to the text itself, but with the idea that such a text can contribute to a process that could lead to a treaty, and ultimately to a WMD Free Zone in the Middle East.