The UAE has called for the launch of a UN-led international initiative to get rid of weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East. "The international community, spearheaded by the UN, are demanded to launch a balanced and just initiative to rid the region of wmds," said General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai Crown Prince and UAE Defence Minister. "The initiative should be applied by all countries without bias or double standards," Shaikh Mohammad said in an interview with Dir Al Watan magazine of the Armed Forces on the eve of the Dubai Air Show 2005, which opens tomorrow.Shaikh Mohammad also warned that such lethal weapons, if ever used, could destroy everything achieved by mankind. "WMDs pose a real danger not only to their possessors but also to the surrounding region and the world at large ... They are a source of worry to peace and stability and it is better for states acquiring them to take the lead in getting rid of them to protect humanity," he said.