UNITED NATIONS, March 1 (WAFA) - Kuwait's UN Representative Ambassador Abdullah Al-Murad, in his capacity as Chairman of the Arab Group, expressed concern and discomfort late Wednesday at Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's hint last December that his country possessed nuclear weapons.

This came in identical letters he addressed to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, General Assembly President Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa, and Security Council President Peter Burian.

The letter said Olmert, in an interview with German television on December 11, 2006, said his country was "not the first" country in the Middle East to produce nuclear weapons, in a clear indication that it possessed such weapons.

The Kuwaiti ambassador said the "declaration is of no surprise" as the Arab and international community had strong suspicion that Israel possessed a nuclear program, but noted this instance was important in that it was the first statement to be made by a high-ranking Israeli official on the issue.

This, he said, reaffirms Arab and international doubts on Israel's nuclear capabilities.

Al-Murad also said this came in stark violation of the will of the international community as stipulated by UN Security Council resolution on dangers of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

He noted that resolution 487 passed in 1981 called on Israel to immediately place its nuclear facilities under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The representative called on the UN General Assembly, Security Council, and the IAEA to bear their responsibilities and act seriously and effectively without delay to implement related resolutions in order to counter threats to regional and international security.

He said Olmert's statement reiterate regional concerns and those of the international community over threatened international peace, at a time when the international community failed to push Israel to join the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The ambassador said double standards were employed in the region in this regard, which reflected on the draft resolution presented by the Arab group to the IAEA's 50th General Assembly.

Arab countries retain their right to take all necessary measures to face threats posed by Israel's nuclear capabilities through UN decision-making channels, he said.

Cuba, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, sent similar letters to the three UN officials.

A.D (21:42P) (19:42GMT)