General and Complete Disarmament, G.A. res. 50/70, U.N. Doc. A/RES/50/70 (1995)
The General Assembly,
Welcoming the easing of international tension and the strengthening of
trust between States that have prevailed following the end of the cold war,
Reaffirming that the cessation of all nuclear testing will contribute to
the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in all its aspects, to the process of
nuclear disarmament leading to the ultimate objective of the complete
elimination of nuclear weapons and therefore to the further enhancement of
international peace and security,
Convinced that the cessation of all nuclear testing will provide a
favourable climate for the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive
nuclear-test-ban treaty,
Considering that nuclear testing is not consistent with undertakings by
the nuclear-weapon States at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the
Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
Deeply concerned about the potential negative effects of underground
nuclear testing on health and the environment,
Sharing alarm expressed internationally, regionally and nationally at
recent nuclear tests,
1. Commends those nuclear-weapon States observing nuclear testing
moratoria, and urges them to continue those moratoria pending the entry into
force of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty;
2. Strongly deplores all current nuclear testing;
3. Strongly urges the immediate cessation of all nuclear testing.
B
Small arms
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the role of the United Nations in the field of disarmament
and the commitment of Member States to take concrete steps in order to
strengthen that role,
Realizing the urgent need to resolve underlying conflicts, to diminish
tensions and to accelerate efforts towards general and complete disarmament
under strict and effective international control with a view to maintaining
regional and international peace and security in a world free from the scourge
of war and the burden of armaments,
Reaffirming the inherent right to individual or collective self-defence
recognized in Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, which implies
that States also have the right to acquire arms with which to defend
themselves,
Reaffirming also the right of self-determination of all peoples, in
particular peoples under colonial or other forms of alien domination or
foreign occupation, and the importance of the effective realization of this
right, as enunciated, inter alia, in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of
Action, adopted by the World Conference on Human Rights on 25 June 1993,
Realizing that arms obtained through the illicit arms trade are most
likely to be used for violent purposes and that even small arms when so
obtained, directly or indirectly, by terrorist groups, drug traffickers or
underground organizations can pose a danger to regional and international
security, and certainly to the security and political stability of the
countries affected,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General to the Security
Council entitled "Supplement to an Agenda for Peace", which stressed the
urgent need for practical disarmament in the context of the conflicts the
United Nations is actually dealing with and of the weapons, most of them light
weapons, that are actually killing people in the hundreds of thousands, and
which identified light weapons as including, inter alia, small arms and anti-
personnel land-mines,
Recalling its resolution 49/75 G of 15 December 1994, in which it
welcomed the initiative taken by Mali concerning the question of the illicit
circulation of small arms and their collection in the affected States of the
Saharo-Sahelian subregion, as well as the action taken by the Secretary-
General in implementation of this initiative,
Noting the work of the Disarmament Commission on international arms
transfers,
1. Requests the Secretary-General, within the existing resources, to
prepare a report, with the assistance of a panel group of qualified
governmental experts to be nominated by him on the basis of equitable
geographical representation, on:
(a) The types of small arms and light weapons actually being used in
conflicts being dealt with by the United Nations;
(b) The nature and causes of the excessive and destabilizing
accumulation and transfer of small arms and light weapons, including their
illicit production and trade;
(c) The ways and means to prevent and reduce the excessive and
destabilizing accumulation and transfer of small arms and light weapons, in
particular as they cause or exacerbate conflict; with particular
attention to the role of the United Nations in this field and to the
complementary role of regional organizations, and taking into account
views and proposals of Member States and all other relevant information,
for submission to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session;
2. Also requests the Secretary-General to seek the views and proposals
of Member States on the matters mentioned in paragraph 1 above, to collect all
other relevant information and to make them available for consideration by the
panel of governmental experts referred to in paragraph 1 above;
3. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session an item entitled "Small arms".
C
Nuclear disarmament with a view to the ultimate
elimination of nuclear weapons
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 49/75 H of 15 December 1994,
Recognizing that the end of the cold war has increased the possibility of
freeing the world from the fear of nuclear war,
Appreciating the entry into force of the Treaty on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, to which Belarus, Kazakstan, the
Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States of America are party, and
looking forward to the early entry into force of the Treaty on Further
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms,
Welcoming the reductions in the nuclear arsenals of other nuclear-weapon
States,
Welcoming also the decision of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference
of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to
extend the Treaty indefinitely, taken without a vote, as well as the decisions
on strengthening the review process for the Treaty and on the principles and
objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament,
Noting the reference in the decision on the principles and objectives for
nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament to the importance of the following
measures for the full realization and effective implementation of article VI
of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including the
programme of action as reflected below:
(a) The completion by the Conference on Disarmament of the negotiations
on a universal and internationally and effectively verifiable comprehensive
nuclear-test-ban treaty no later than 1996, and utmost restraint that should
be exercised by the nuclear-weapon States pending the entry into force of that
treaty;
(b) The immediate commencement and early conclusion of negotiations on a
non-discriminatory and universally applicable convention banning the
production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive
devices in accordance with the statement of the Special Coordinator of the
Conference on Disarmament and the mandate contained therein;
(c) The determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of systematic
and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate
goal of eliminating those weapons, and by all States of general and complete
disarmament under strict and effective international control,
Welcoming positive developments as well as the efforts being made by the
States members of the Conference on Disarmament in the negotiations on a
comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty at the Conference on Disarmament at
Geneva,
Recalling that nuclear non-proliferation and the promotion of nuclear
disarmament are key elements in the maintenance of international peace and
security, which is one of the most important purposes of the United Nations,
1. Urges States not parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons to accede to it at the earliest possible date, recognizing the
importance of universal adherence to the Treaty;
2. Calls for the determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of
systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with
the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons, and by all States of general
and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, and
invites them to keep States Members of the United Nations duly informed of the
progress and efforts made;
3. Calls upon all States to implement fully their commitments in the
field of disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
D
Transparency in armaments
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 46/36 L of 9 December 1991, 47/52 L of 15
December 1992, 48/75 E of 16 December 1993 and 49/75 C of 15 December 1994,
Continuing to take the view that an enhanced level of transparency in
armaments contributes greatly to confidence-building and security among States
and that the establishment of the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms
constitutes an important step forward in the promotion of transparency in
military matters,
Welcoming the consolidated report of the Secretary-General on the
Register, which includes the returns of Member States for 1994,
Welcoming also the response of Member States to the requests contained in
paragraphs 9 and 10 of resolution 46/36 L to provide data on their imports and
exports of arms, as well as available background information regarding their
military holdings, procurement through national production and relevant
policies,
Stressing that the continuing operation of the Register and its further
development should be reviewed in order to secure a Register that is capable
of attracting the widest possible participation,
1. Reaffirms its determination to ensure the effective operation of the
United Nations Register of Conventional Arms as provided for in paragraphs 7,
8, 9 and 10 of resolution 46/36 L;
2. Calls upon Member States to provide the requested data and
information for the Register, on the basis of resolutions 46/36 L and 47/52 L
and the annex and appendices to the report of the Secretary-General on the
continuing operation of the Register and its further development, to the
Secretary-General by 30 April annually;
3. Reaffirms its decision, with a view to further development of the
Register, to keep the scope of and participation in the Register under review,
and, to that end:
(a) Recalls its request to Member States to provide the Secretary-
General with their views on the continuing operation of the Register and its
further development and on transparency measures related to weapons of mass
destruction;
(b) Recalls its request to the Secretary-General, with the assistance of
a group of governmental experts to be convened in 1997, on the basis of
equitable geographical representation, to prepare a report on the continuing
operation of the Register and its further development, taking into account the
work of the Conference on Disarmament, the views expressed by Member States
and the report of the Secretary-General on the continuing operation of the
Register and its further development, with a view to a decision at its fifty-
second session;
4. Requests the Secretary-General to ensure that sufficient resources
are made available for the Secretariat to operate and maintain the Register;
5. Invites the Conference on Disarmament to consider continuing its
work undertaken in the field of transparency in armaments;
6. Reiterates its call upon all Member States to cooperate at the
regional and subregional levels, taking fully into account the specific
conditions prevailing in the region or subregion, with a view to enhancing and
coordinating international efforts aimed at increased openness and
transparency in armaments;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at
its fifty-first session on the progress made in implementing the present
resolution;
8. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Transparency in armaments".
E
Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind resolutions CM/Res.1153 (XLVIII) of 1988 and CM/Res.1225
(L) of 1989, adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organization of
African Unity, concerning the dumping of nuclear and industrial wastes in
Africa,
Welcoming resolution GC(XXXIV)/Res/530 establishing a Code of Practice on
the International Transboundary Movement of Radioactive Waste, adopted on 21
September 1990 by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy
Agency at its thirty-fourth regular session,
Welcoming also resolution GC(XXXVIII)/Res/6, adopted on 23 September 1994
by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency at its
thirty-eighth regular session, inviting the Board of Governors and the
Director-General of the Agency to commence preparations for a convention on
the safety of radioactive waste management,
Considering its resolution 2602 C (XXIV) of 16 December 1969, in which it
requested the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament, inter alia, to
consider effective methods of control against the use of radiological methods
of warfare,
Recalling resolution CM/Res.1356 (LIV) of 1991, adopted by the Council of
Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, on the Bamako Convention on
the Ban on the Import of Hazardous Wastes into Africa and on the Control of
Their Transboundary Movements within Africa,
Aware of the potential hazards underlying any use of radioactive wastes
that would constitute radiological warfare and its implications for regional
and international security, in particular for the security of developing
countries,
Recalling its resolutions 43/75 Q of 7 December 1988, 44/116 R of 15
December 1989, 45/58 K of 4 December 1990, 46/36 K of 6 December 1991, 47/52 D
of 9 December 1992, 48/75 D of 16 December 1993 and 49/75 A of 15 December
1994,
Desirous of promoting the implementation of paragraph 76 of the Final
Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, the first
special session devoted to disarmament,
1. Takes note of the part of the report of the Conference on
Disarmament relating to a future convention on the prohibition of radiological
weapons;
2. Expresses grave concern regarding any use of nuclear wastes that
would constitute radiological warfare and have grave implications for the
national security of all States;
3. Calls upon all States to take appropriate measures with a view to
preventing any dumping of nuclear or radioactive wastes that would infringe
upon the sovereignty of States;
4. Requests the Conference on Disarmament to take into account, in the
negotiations for a convention on the prohibition of radiological weapons,
radioactive wastes as part of the scope of such a convention;
5. Also requests the Conference on Disarmament to intensify efforts
towards an early conclusion of such a convention and to include in its report
to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session the progress recorded in
the negotiations on this subject;
6. Takes note of resolution CM/Res.1356 (LIV) of 1991, adopted by the
Council of Ministers of the Organization of African Unity, on the Bamako
Convention on the Ban on the Import of Hazardous Wastes into Africa and on the
Control of Their Transboundary Movements within Africa;
7. Expresses the hope that the effective implementation of the
International Atomic Energy Agency Code of Practice on the International
Transboundary Movement of Radioactive Waste will enhance the protection of all
States from the dumping of radioactive wastes on their territories;
8. Welcomes current efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency
in the preparation of a draft convention on the safe management of radioactive
waste;
9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes".
F
Convening of the fourth special session of the General
Assembly devoted to disarmament
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 49/75 I of 15 December 1994,
Recalling also that three special sessions of the General Assembly
devoted to disarmament were held in 1978, 1982 and 1988,
Bearing in mind the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the
General Assembly, the first special session devoted to disarmament, and the
final objective of general and complete disarmament under effective
international control,
Welcoming the recent positive changes in the international landscape,
characterized by the end of the cold war, the relaxation of tensions at the
global level and the emergence of a new spirit governing relations among
nations,
Taking note of paragraph 108 of the Final Declaration of the Eleventh
Conference of Heads of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries, held
at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 18 to 20 October 1995, which supported
the convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to
disarmament in 1997, which would offer an opportunity to review, from a
perspective more in tune with the current international situation, the most
critical aspects of the process of disarmament and to mobilize the
international community and public opinion in favour of the elimination of
weapons of mass destruction and of the control and reduction of conventional
weapons,
Expecting that, since negotiations and action on important disarmament
issues will be completed by the end of 1996, the year 1997 would be an
opportune time to review the progress in the entire field of disarmament in
the post-cold-war era,
1. Decides to convene its fourth special session on disarmament in
1997, if possible, the exact date and agenda to be decided upon before the end
of the current session of the General Assembly through consultations;
2. Also decides to establish a Preparatory Committee to prepare a draft
agenda for the special session, to examine all relevant questions relating to
that session and to submit its recommendations thereon to the General Assembly
at its fifty-first session;
3. Invites all Member States to communicate to the Secretary-General,
no later than 1 April 1996, their views on the draft agenda and other relevant
questions relating to the fourth special session on disarmament;
4. Requests the Preparatory Committee to meet for a short
organizational session before the end of the fifty-first session of the
General Assembly in order, inter alia, to set the date for its substantive
session;
5. Also requests the Preparatory Committee to submit its progress
report to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session;
6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session an item entitled "Convening of the fourth special session of the
General Assembly devoted to disarmament: report of the Preparatory Committee
for the Fourth Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to
Disarmament".
G
Relationship between disarmament and development
The General Assembly,
Recalling the provisions of the Final Document of the Tenth Special
Session of the General Assembly, the first special session devoted to
disarmament, concerning the relationship between disarmament and development,
Recalling also the adoption on 11 September 1987 of the Final Document of
the International Conference on the Relationship between Disarmament and
Development,
Recalling further its resolution 49/75 J of 15 December 1994,
Bearing in mind the final documents of the Eleventh Conference of Heads
of State or Government of the Non-Aligned Countries, held at Cartagena de
Indias, Colombia, from 18 to 20 October 1995,
Stressing the growing importance of the symbiotic relationship between
disarmament and development in current international relations,
1. Takes note of the note by the Secretary-General and of actions taken
in accordance with the Final Document of the International Conference on the
Relationship between Disarmament and Development;
2. Urges the international community to devote part of the resources
made available by the implementation of disarmament and arms limitation
agreements to economic and social development, with a view to reducing the
ever-widening gap between developed and developing countries;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to take action, through
appropriate organs and within available resources, for the implementation of
the action programme adopted at the International Conference;
4. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report to the
General Assembly at its fifty-first session;
5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Relationship between disarmament and development".
H
Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic
in small arms and collecting them
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 46/36 H of 6 December 1991, 47/52 G and J of 9
December 1992, 48/75 H and J of 16 December 1993 and 49/75 G of 15 December
1994,
Considering that the circulation of massive quantities of small arms
throughout the world impedes development and is a source of increased
insecurity,
Considering also that the illicit international transfer of small arms
and their accumulation in many countries constitute a threat to the
populations and to national and regional security and are a factor
contributing to the destabilization of States,
Basing itself on the statement of the Secretary-General relating to the
request of Mali concerning United Nations assistance for the collection of
small arms,
Gravely concerned at the extent of the insecurity and banditry linked to
the illicit circulation of small arms in Mali and the other affected States of
the Saharo-Sahelian subregion,
Taking note of the first conclusions of the United Nations advisory
missions sent to the affected countries of the subregion by the Secretary-
General to study the best way of curbing the illicit circulation of small arms
and ensuring their collection,
Taking note also of the interest shown by other States of the subregion
in receiving the United Nations Advisory Mission,
Noting the actions taken and those recommended at the meetings of the
States of the subregion held at Banjul, Algiers and Bamako to establish close
regional cooperation with a view to strengthening security,
1. Welcomes the initiative taken by Mali concerning the question of the
illicit circulation of small arms and their collection in the affected States
of the Saharo-Sahelian subregion;
2. Also welcomes the action taken by the Secretary-General in
implementation of this initiative in the context of General Assembly
resolution 40/151 H of 16 December 1985;
3. Thanks the Governments concerned in the subregion for the
substantial support that they have given to the United Nations advisory
missions and welcomes the declared readiness of other States to receive the
United Nations Advisory Mission;
4. Encourages the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in the
context of the implementation of resolution 49/75 G and of the recommendations
of the United Nations advisory missions, to curb the illicit circulation of
small arms and to collect such arms in the affected States that so request,
with the support of the United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and
Disarmament in Africa and in close cooperation with the Organization of
African Unity;
5. Invites Member States to implement national control measures in
order to check the illicit circulation of small arms, in particular by curbing
the illegal export of such arms;
6. Invites the international community to give appropriate support to
the efforts made by the affected countries to suppress the illicit circulation
of small arms, which is likely to hamper their development;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to continue to examine the issue and
to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.
I
Bilateral nuclear arms negotiations and nuclear disarmament
The General Assembly,
Recalling its previous relevant resolutions,
Recognizing the fundamental changes that have taken place with respect to
international security, which have permitted agreements on deep reductions in
the nuclear armaments of the States possessing the largest inventories of such
weapons,
Mindful that it is the responsibility and obligation of all States to
contribute to the process of the relaxation of international tension and to
the strengthening of international peace and security,
Stressing the importance of strengthening international peace and
security through general and complete disarmament, under strict and effective
international control,
Stressing also that it is the responsibility of all States to adopt and
implement measures towards the attainment of general and complete disarmament
under strict and effective international control,
Appreciating a number of positive developments in the field of nuclear
disarmament, in particular the Treaty between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their
Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, and the treaties on the
reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms,
Appreciating also the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and acknowledging the importance of the
determined pursuit by the nuclear-weapon States of systematic and progressive
efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally, with the ultimate goal of
eliminating those weapons, and by all States of general and complete
disarmament under strict and effective international control,
Welcoming the steps that have already been taken by the Russian
Federation and the United States of America to begin the process of reducing
the number of nuclear weapons and removing such weapons from a deployed
status, and bilateral agreements on the issue of de-targeting strategic
nuclear missiles,
Noting the new climate of relations between the United States of America
and the States of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which
permits them to intensify their cooperative efforts to ensure the safety,
security and environmentally sound destruction of nuclear weapons,
Noting also that the Russian Federation and the United States of America
concurred that, once the Treaty between them on Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms was ratified, they would proceed to
deactivate all nuclear delivery systems to be reduced under the Treaty by
removing their nuclear warheads or taking other steps to remove them from
alert status,
Noting further the commitment between the Russian Federation and the
United States of America to intensify their dialogue to compare conceptual
approaches and to develop concrete steps to adapt the nuclear forces and
practices on both sides to the changed international security situation,
including the possibility, after ratification of the Treaty on Further
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, of further reductions of
and limitations on remaining nuclear forces,
Taking note of the joint statement of 10 May 1995 by the Russian
Federation and the United States of America on the Treaty on the Limitation of
Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems,
Urging the early ratification of the Treaty on Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms and further intensification of such
efforts to accelerate the implementation of agreements and unilateral
decisions relating to nuclear arms reduction,
Welcoming the significant reductions made by other nuclear-weapon States,
and encouraging all nuclear-weapon States to consider appropriate measures
relating to nuclear disarmament,
1. Welcomes the entry into force of the Treaty on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed in Moscow on 31 July 1991 by
the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of
America, including the Protocol to that Treaty signed at Lisbon on 23 May 1992
by the parties thereto, and the exchange of documents of ratification between
the United States of America, Belarus, Kazakstan, the Russian Federation and
Ukraine on 5 December 1994 at Budapest;
2. Also welcomes the signing of the Treaty between the United States of
America and the Russian Federation on Further Reduction and Limitation of
Strategic Offensive Arms in Moscow on 3 January 1993, and urges the parties to
take the steps necessary to bring that Treaty into force at the earliest
possible date;
3. Expresses its satisfaction at the fact that the entry into force of
the 1991 Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
clears the way for prompt ratification by the Russian Federation and the
United States of America of the 1993 Treaty;
4. Also expresses its satisfaction at the continuing implementation of
the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and
Shorter-Range Missiles, in particular at the completion by the parties of the
destruction of all their declared missiles subject to elimination under the
Treaty;
5. Encourages the United States of America, the Russian Federation,
Belarus, Kazakstan, and Ukraine to continue their cooperative efforts aimed at
eliminating nuclear weapons and strategic offensive arms on the basis of
existing agreements, and welcomes the contributions that other States are
making to such cooperation as well;
6. Welcomes the accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons of Belarus, Kazakstan and Ukraine as non-nuclear-weapon
States, which thereby provided a notable enhancement to the non-proliferation
regime;
7. Encourages and supports the Russian Federation and the United States
of America in their efforts to reduce their nuclear weapons and to continue to
give those efforts the highest priority in order to contribute to the ultimate
goal of eliminating those weapons;
8. Invites the Russian Federation and the United States of America to
keep other States Members of the United Nations duly informed of progress in
their discussions and in the implementation of their strategic offensive arms
agreements and unilateral decisions.
J
Measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of
conventional arms
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 46/36 H of 6 December 1991 and its decision
47/419 of 9 December 1992 on international arms transfers,
Recalling also its resolutions 48/75 F and H of 16 December 1993 and
49/75 M of 15 December 1994 on measures to curb the illicit transfer and use
of conventional arms,
Recognizing that the availability of massive quantities of conventional
weapons and especially their illicit transfer, often associated with
destabilizing activities, are most disturbing and dangerous phenomena, in
particular for the internal situation of affected States and the violation of
human rights,
Bearing in mind that in certain situations mercenaries, terrorists and
child soldiers are supplied with weapons acquired from illicit transfers of
conventional arms,
Convinced that peace and security are inextricably interlinked with and
in some cases imperative for economic development and reconstruction,
including in war-stricken countries,
Realizing the urgent need to resolve conflicts and to diminish tension,
and to accelerate efforts towards general and complete disarmament with a view
to maintaining regional and international peace and security,
Recognizing the curbing of the illicit transfer of arms as an important
contribution to the relaxation of tension and peaceful reconciliation
processes,
Stressing the need for effective national control measures on the
transfer of conventional weapons,
Convinced that effective measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of
conventional arms will help enhance regional and international peace, security
and economic development,
1. Invites Member States:
(a) To take appropriate and effective enforcement measures to seek to
ensure that illicit transfers of arms are immediately discontinued;
(b) To provide the Secretary-General promptly with relevant information
on national control measures on arms transfers with a view to preventing
illicit arms transfers;
2. Requests the Disarmament Commission:
(a) To expedite its consideration of the agenda item on international
arms transfers, with special emphasis on the adverse consequences of the
illicit transfer of arms and ammunition;
(b) To study and report on measures to curb the illicit transfer and use
of conventional arms, bearing in mind concrete problems in various regions of
the world;
3. Requests the Secretary-General:
(a) To seek the views of Member States on effective ways and means of
collecting weapons transferred illicitly, in particular in the light of
experience gained by the United Nations;
(b) To seek the views of Member States on concrete proposals concerning
measures at the national, regional and international levels to curb the
illicit transfer and use of conventional arms;
(c) To submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-first session a
report containing the views expressed by Member States;
4. Also requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-first session on the effective implementation of the
present resolution;
5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Measures to curb the illicit transfer and use of
conventional arms".
K
Regional disarmament
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 45/58 P of 4 December 1990, 46/36 I of 6
December 1991, 47/52 J of 9 December 1992, 48/75 I of 16 December 1993 and
49/75 N of 15 December 1994 on regional disarmament,
Believing that the efforts of the international community to move towards
the ideal of general and complete disarmament are guided by the inherent human
desire for genuine peace and security, the elimination of the danger of war
and the release of economic, intellectual and other resources for peaceful
pursuits,
Affirming the abiding commitment of all States to the purposes and
principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations in the conduct of
their international relations,
Noting that essential guidelines for progress towards general and
complete disarmament were adopted at the tenth special session of the General
Assembly, the first special session devoted to disarmament,
Taking note of the guidelines and recommendations for regional approaches
to disarmament within the context of global security adopted by the
Disarmament Commission at its 1993 substantive session,
Welcoming the prospects of genuine progress in the field of disarmament
engendered in recent years as a result of negotiations between the two super-
Powers,
Taking note of the recent proposals for disarmament and nuclear
non-proliferation at the regional and subregional levels,
Recognizing the importance of confidence-building measures for regional
and international peace and security,
Convinced that endeavours by countries to promote regional disarmament,
taking into account the specific characteristics of each region and in
accordance with the principle of undiminished security at the lowest level of
armaments, would enhance the security of smaller States and would thus
contribute to international peace and security by reducing the risk of
regional conflicts,
1. Stresses that sustained efforts are needed, within the framework of
the Conference on Disarmament and under the umbrella of the United Nations, to
make progress on the entire range of disarmament issues;
2. Affirms that global and regional approaches to disarmament
complement each other and should therefore be pursued simultaneously to
promote regional and international peace and security;
3. Calls upon States to conclude agreements, wherever possible, for
nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and confidence-building measures at the
regional and subregional levels;
4. Welcomes the initiatives towards disarmament, nuclear
non-proliferation and security undertaken by some countries at the regional
and subregional levels;
5. Supports and encourages efforts aimed at promoting confidence-
building measures at the regional and subregional levels in order to ease
regional tensions and to further disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation
measures at the regional and subregional levels;
6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Regional disarmament".
L
Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 48/75 J of 16 December 1993 and 49/75 O of 15
December 1994,
Recognizing the crucial role of conventional arms control in promoting
regional and international peace and security,
Convinced that conventional arms control needs to be pursued primarily in
the regional and subregional contexts since most threats to peace and security
in the post-cold-war era arise mainly among States located in the same region
or subregion,
Aware that the preservation of a balance in the defence capabilities of
States at the lowest level of armaments would contribute to peace and
stability and should be a prime objective of conventional arms control,
Desirous of promoting agreements to strengthen regional peace and
security at the lowest possible level of armaments and military forces,
Believing that militarily significant States, and States with larger
military capabilities, have a special responsibility in promoting such
agreements for regional security,
Believing also that two of the principal objectives of conventional arms
control should be to prevent the possibility of military attack launched by
surprise and to avoid aggression,
1. Decides to give urgent consideration to the issues involved in
conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels;
2. Requests the Conference on Disarmament, as a first step, to consider
the formulation of principles that can serve as a framework for regional
agreements on conventional arms control, and looks forward to a report of the
Conference on this subject;
3. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Conventional arms control at the regional and
subregional levels".
M
Observance of environmental norms in the drafting
and implementation of agreements on disarmament
and arms control
The General Assembly,
Recognizing the importance of the observance of environmental norms in
the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms
limitation,
Taking note of the relevant provisions of the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical
Weapons and on Their Destruction regarding the environment,
Convinced of the importance of the environmentally sound implementation
of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and
Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their
Destruction,
Mindful of the detrimental environmental effects of the use of nuclear
weapons,
Conscious of the positive potential implications for the environment of a
future comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty,
Desirous of banning effectively military or any other hostile use of
environment modification techniques, with a view to removing the dangers for
mankind that might arise from such uses,
1. Invites the Conference on Disarmament to take every necessary
measure to include in negotiating treaties and agreements on disarmament and
arms limitation the corresponding environmental norms, with a view to ensuring
that the process of implementation of such treaties and agreements is
environmentally sound, in particular the destruction of weapons covered by
them;
2. Emphasizes the importance of the compliance of all States parties to
the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling
and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, and calls upon them to
cooperate and ensure that the process of implementation of the Convention in
all relevant aspects is environmentally sound;
3. Urges all States parties to consider all relevant norms related to
the protection of the environment in implementing the Convention on the
Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological
(Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction;
4. Calls upon the Conference on Disarmament to conclude, as a task of
the highest priority, a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty as soon as
possible in 1996;
5. Urges the States that are not yet party to the Convention on the
Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification
Techniques to consider adhering to it as soon as possible, in order to assure
the universality of the Convention.
N
Bilateral nuclear arms negotiations and nuclear disarmament
The General Assembly,
Recalling its previous relevant resolutions,
Recognizing the fundamental changes that have taken place with respect to
international security, which have permitted agreements on deep reductions in
the nuclear armaments of the States possessing the largest inventories of such
weapons,
Mindful that it is the responsibility and obligation of all States to
contribute to the process of the relaxation of international tension and to
the strengthening of international peace and security,
Stressing the importance of strengthening international peace and
security through disarmament,
Emphasizing that nuclear disarmament remains one of the principal tasks
of our times,
Appreciating a number of positive developments in the field of nuclear
disarmament, in particular the Treaty between the United States of America and
the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their
Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles, concluded on 8 December 1987,
and the treaties on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms,
Noting that there are still significant nuclear arsenals and that the
primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, with the objective of the
elimination of nuclear weapons, rests with the nuclear-weapon States, in
particular those which possess the largest stockpiles,
Noting also the expressed determination of the nuclear-weapon States to
pursue systematic and progressive efforts to reduce nuclear weapons globally,
with the ultimate goal of eliminating those weapons within a time-bound
framework,
Welcoming the steps that have already been taken by those States to begin
the process of reducing the number of nuclear weapons and removing such
weapons from a deployed status, and bilateral agreements on the issue of de-
targeting strategic nuclear missiles,
Noting the new climate of relations between the United States of America
and the States of the former Soviet Union, which permits them to intensify
their cooperative efforts to ensure the safety, security and environmentally
sound destruction of nuclear weapons,
Noting also that the Russian Federation and the United States of America
concurred that, once the Treaty on Further Reduction and Limitation of
Strategic Offensive Arms was ratified, they would proceed to deactivate all
nuclear delivery systems to be reduced under the Treaty by removing their
nuclear warheads or taking other steps to remove them from alert status,
Noting further the agreement between the Russian Federation and the
United States of America to intensify their dialogue to compare conceptual
approaches and to develop concrete steps to adapt the nuclear forces and
practices on both sides to the changed international security situation,
including the possibility, after ratification of the Treaty on Further
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, of further reductions of
and limitations on remaining nuclear forces,
Taking note of the joint statement of 10 May 1995 by the Russian
Federation and the United States of America on the Treaty on the Limitation of
Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems,
Urging the early ratification of the Treaty on the Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms and further intensification of such
efforts to accelerate the implementation of agreements and unilateral
decisions relating to nuclear-arms reduction,
Welcoming the reduction made by other nuclear-weapon States, in some of
their nuclear-weapon programmes, and encouraging all nuclear-weapon States to
consider appropriate measures relating to nuclear disarmament,
Affirming that bilateral and multilateral negotiations on nuclear
disarmament should facilitate and complement each other,
1. Welcomes the entry into force of the Treaty on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed in Moscow on 31 July 1991 by
the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of
America, including the Protocol to that Treaty signed at Lisbon on 23 May 1992
by the parties thereto, and the exchange of documents of ratification between
the United States of America, Belarus, Kazakstan, the Russian Federation and
Ukraine on 5 December 1994 at Budapest;
2. Also welcomes the signing of the Treaty between the United States of
America and the Russian Federation on Further Reduction and Limitation of
Strategic Offensive Arms in Moscow on 3 January 1993, and urges the parties to
take the steps necessary to bring that Treaty into force at the earliest
possible date;
3. Expresses its satisfaction at the fact that the entry into force of
the 1991 Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms
clears the way to prompt ratification by the Russian Federation and the United
States of America of the 1993 Treaty;
4. Also expresses its satisfaction at the continuing implementation of
the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and
Shorter-Range Missiles, in particular at the completion by the parties of the
destruction of all their declared missiles subject to elimination under the
Treaty;
5. Encourages the United States of America, the Russian Federation,
Belarus, Kazakstan and Ukraine to continue their cooperative efforts aimed at
eliminating nuclear weapons and strategic offensive arms on the basis of
existing agreements, and welcomes the contributions that other States are
making to such cooperation as well;
6. Encourages and supports the Russian Federation and the United States
of America in their efforts to reduce their nuclear armaments and to continue
to give those efforts the highest priority in order to contribute to the
objective of the elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework;
7. Invites the Russian Federation and the United States of America to
keep other States Members of the United Nations and the Conference on
Disarmament duly informed of progress in their discussions and in the
implementation of their strategic offensive arms agreements and unilateral
decisions;
8. Calls on the Conference on Disarmament to take this information into
account in the negotiations to be held on nuclear disarmament and for the
ultimate elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework.
O
Moratorium on the export of anti-personnel land-mines
The General Assembly,
Recalling with satisfaction its resolutions 48/75 K of 16 December 1993
and 49/75 D of 15 December 1994, in which it, inter alia, called upon States
to agree to a moratorium on the export of anti-personnel land-mines that pose
grave dangers to civilian populations, and urged States to implement moratoria
on the export of anti-personnel land-mines,
Also recalling with satisfaction its resolution 49/75 D, in which it,
inter alia, established as a goal of the international community the eventual
elimination of anti-personnel land-mines,
Noting that, according to the 1994 report of the Secretary-General
entitled "Assistance in mine clearance", it is estimated that there are more
than one hundred and ten land-mines in the ground in more than sixty countries
throughout the world,
Noting also that, according to the same report, the global land-mine
crisis continues to worsen as an estimated two to five million new land-mines
are laid each year, while only an estimated one hundred thousand were cleared
in 1994,
Expressing deep concern that anti-personnel land-mines kill or maim
hundreds of people every week, mostly innocent and defenceless civilians,
obstruct economic development and reconstruction, and have other severe
consequences for years after emplacement, which include inhibiting the
repatriation of refugees and the return of internally displaced persons,
Gravely concerned over the suffering and casualties caused to
non-combatants as a result of the proliferation, as well as the indiscriminate
and irresponsible use, of anti-personnel land-mines,
Recalling with satisfaction its resolutions 48/7 of 19 October 1993 and
49/215 A of 23 December 1994 calling for assistance in mine clearance,
Welcoming the programmes of assistance that exist for demining and
humanitarian support for the victims of anti-personnel land-mines,
Welcoming also the International Meeting on Mine Clearance, held at
Geneva from 5 to 7 July 1995, and noting the statement of the Secretary-
General at the meeting that the international community must take specific and
tangible steps to address the intolerable situation caused by the
proliferation of anti-personnel land-mines throughout the world,
Recalling with satisfaction the report of the Secretary-General
concerning progress on the initiative in resolution 49/75 D,
Convinced that moratoria by States on the export of anti-personnel land-
mines that pose grave dangers to civilian populations are important measures
in helping to reduce substantially the human and economic costs resulting from
the proliferation, as well as the indiscriminate and irresponsible use, of
such devices,
Noting with satisfaction that more than twenty-five States already have
declared moratoria on the export, transfer or sale of anti-personnel land-
mines, with many of these moratoria being declared as a result of the
aforementioned resolutions,
Believing that ongoing efforts to strengthen the Convention on
Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which
May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects,
in particular Protocol II thereto, are an essential part of the overall effort
to address problems caused by the proliferation, as well as the indiscriminate
and irresponsible use, of anti-personnel land-mines,
Noting the efforts that were made at the Review Conference of the States
Parties to the Convention, held at Vienna from 25 September to 13 October
1995, to strengthen prohibitions and restrictions in Protocol II governing
land-mine use and transfer, and urging parties to build consensus towards
agreement on such prohibitions and restrictions when the Review Conference
reconvenes in January and April 1996,
Believing that, in addition to Protocol II, other measures to control the
production, stockpiling and transfer of anti-personnel land-mines are also
necessary to address problems caused by anti-personnel land-mines, especially
the indiscriminate or illegal use of anti-personnel land-mines that continue
to inflict harm on civilian populations long after emplacement,
Recognizing that States can move most effectively towards the goal of the
eventual elimination of anti-personnel land-mines as viable alternatives are
developed that significantly reduce the risk to the civilian population, and
emphasizing the need for States to work on developing such alternatives on an
urgent basis,
1. Welcomes the moratoria already declared by certain States on the
export of anti-personnel land-mines;
2. Urges States that have not yet done so to declare such moratoria
at the earliest possible date;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to prepare a report on steps taken by
Member States to implement such moratoria, and to submit it to the General
Assembly at its fifty-first session under the item entitled "General and
complete disarmament";
4. Emphasizes the importance of the Convention on Prohibitions or
Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to
Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects and Protocol II
thereto as the authoritative international instrument governing the
responsible use of anti-personnel land-mines and related devices, and urges
parties to build consensus towards an agreement when the Review Conference
reconvenes;
5. Encourages the widest possible accession to the Convention and to
Protocol II thereto, and further urges all States to comply immediately and
fully with the applicable rules of Protocol II;
6. Also encourages further immediate international efforts to seek
solutions to the problems caused by anti-personnel land-mines, with a view to
the eventual elimination of anti-personnel land-mines.
P
Nuclear disarmament
The General Assembly,
Reaffirming the commitment of the international community to the goal of
the total elimination of nuclear weapons and the creation of a nuclear-weapon-
free world,
Determined to achieve the objective of prohibiting the development,
production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons and their destruction, and
to conclude such an international treaty or treaties at an early date,
Bearing in mind paragraph 50 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special
Session of the General Assembly, the first special session devoted to
disarmament, calling for the urgent negotiation of agreements for the
cessation of the qualitative improvement and development of nuclear-weapon
systems, and for a comprehensive and phased programme with agreed time-frames,
wherever feasible, for progressive and balanced reduction of nuclear weapons
and their means of delivery, leading to their ultimate and complete
elimination at the earliest possible time,
Recognizing that a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty, the proposed
treaty on fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive
devices and a convention prohibiting the use of nuclear weapons constitute
important steps towards the elimination of the nuclear threat, and will
contribute to the achievement of the goal of nuclear disarmament within a
time-bound framework,
Recognizing also that the end of the cold war has brought about
favourable conditions for creating a world free of nuclear weapons,
Welcoming the entry into force of the Treaty on the Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, to which Belarus, Kazakstan, the
Russian Federation, Ukraine and the United States of America are States
parties, as well as the conclusion of the Treaty on Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms by the Russian Federation and the
United States of America, and looking forward to full implementation of these
treaties and to further concrete steps for nuclear disarmament by all nuclear-
weapon States,
Noting with appreciation the unilateral measures of nuclear-weapon
States for nuclear arms limitation,
Recognizing the complementarity of bilateral and multilateral
negotiations on nuclear disarmament and that bilateral negotiations can never
replace multilateral negotiations in this respect,
Recognizing also that a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty and the
proposed treaty on fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive
devices must both constitute disarmament measures and not only
non-proliferation measures, and that they must be important steps leading to
the total elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework,
Noting the support expressed in the Conference on Disarmament and in the
General Assembly for the elaboration of an international convention to assure
non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons,
and the multilateral efforts in the Conference on Disarmament to reach
agreement on such an international convention at an early date,
Recalling its resolution 49/75 E of 15 December 1994 on a step-by-step
reduction of the nuclear threat,
Taking note of paragraph 84 and other relevant recommendations in the
Final Document of the Eleventh Conference of Heads of State or Government of
the Non-Aligned Countries, held at Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, from 18 to
20 October 1995, calling on the Conference on Disarmament to establish, on a
priority basis, an ad hoc committee to commence negotiations early in 1996 on
a phased programme of nuclear disarmament and for the eventual elimination of
nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework,
1. Recognizes that, in view of the end of the cold war and recent
political developments, the time is now opportune for all nuclear-weapon
States to undertake effective nuclear disarmament measures with a view to the
total elimination of these weapons within a time-bound framework;
2. Also recognizes that there is a genuine need to de-emphasize the
role of nuclear weapons, and to review and revise nuclear doctrines
accordingly;
3. Urges the nuclear-weapon States to stop immediately the qualitative
improvement, development, stockpiling and production of nuclear warheads and
their delivery systems;
4. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to undertake step-by-step
reduction of the nuclear threat and a phased programme of progressive and
balanced deep reductions of nuclear weapons, and to carry out effective
nuclear disarmament measures with a view to the total elimination of these
weapons within a time-bound framework;
5. Calls upon the Conference on Disarmament to establish, on a priority
basis, an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament to commence negotiations
early in 1996 on a phased programme of nuclear disarmament and for the
eventual elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework;
6. Expresses its support for the efforts of the Member States of the
Conference on Disarmament to this end;
7. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at
its fifty-first session a report on the implementation of the present
resolution;
8. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-first
session the item entitled "Nuclear disarmament".
Q
1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the
Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolution 47/52 A of 9 December 1992, in which it, inter
alia, took note of the decision of the parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, following appropriate consultations, to
form a preparatory committee for a conference to review the operation of the
Treaty and to decide on its extension, as provided for in article VIII,
paragraph 3, and also called for in article X, paragraph 2, of the Treaty,
Recalling also that the parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons convened in New York from 17 April to 12 May 1995 in
accordance with article VIII, paragraph 3, and article X, paragraph 2, of the
Treaty,
Noting that, at the time of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of
the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, there
were one hundred and seventy-five of the one hundred and seventy-eight States
parties to the Treaty present,
1. Notes that on 11 May 1995 the 1995 Review and Extension Conference
of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
adopted three decisions on strengthening the review process for the Treaty,
principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and
extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons;
2. Takes note of the resolution on the Middle East adopted on 11 May
1995 by the parties to the Treaty;
3. Notes that the States parties to the Treaty participating in the
Review Conference:
(a) Agreed to strengthen the review process for the operation of the
Treaty with a view to assuring that the purposes of the preamble and the
provisions of the Treaty were being realized, and decided that, in accordance
with article VIII, paragraph 3, the Review Conferences should continue to be
held every five years, and that, accordingly, the next Review Conference
should be held in the year 2000, and that the first meeting of the Preparatory
Committee should be held in 1997;
(b) Affirmed the need to continue to move with determination towards the
full realization and effective implementation of the provisions of the Treaty,
and accordingly adopted a set of principles and objectives;
(c) Decided that, as a majority existed among States parties to the
Treaty for its indefinite extension, in accordance with its article X,
paragraph 2, the Treaty should continue in force indefinitely;
4. Notes that the three decisions and the resolution were adopted
without a vote.
R
Contribution to nuclear disarmament
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 49/75 H, L and P of 15 December 1994,
Noting with satisfaction a number of positive developments in the field
of nuclear disarmament, in particular, the entry into force of the Treaty on
the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms,
Noting also with satisfaction the conclusion of the Treaty on Further
Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms,
Realizing the vital importance of further nuclear disarmament with the
ultimate goals of the complete elimination of nuclear weapons and a treaty on
general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international
control,
Bearing in mind the results of the 1995 Review and Extension Conference
of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
Noting that the vast majority of States Members of the United Nations are
now parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
1. Welcomes the accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons of the following States: Algeria, Argentina, Chile, Comoros,
Eritrea, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Monaco, Palau,
Ukraine, United Arab Emirates and Vanuatu;
2. Also welcomes the accession on 5 December 1994 to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of Ukraine as a non-nuclear-weapon State,
and in this regard acknowledges that this decision, as well as relevant
decisions previously taken by Belarus and Kazakstan, contributed to the entry
into force of the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic
Offensive Arms, which is a major landmark in the process of nuclear
disarmament;
3. Acknowledges the progress in the process of implementation of the
Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms to date by
the parties to the Treaty;
4. Welcomes the signing of the Treaty on Further Reduction and
Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms by the Russian Federation and the
United States of America, and urges the parties to take the steps necessary to
bring that Treaty into force at the earliest possible date;
5. Also welcomes the fact that South Africa has voluntarily given up
its nuclear weapon programme as well as the voluntary renunciation of nuclear
weapons by Belarus, Kazakstan and Ukraine, and recognizes the significant
contribution of those States to nuclear disarmament and the strengthening of
regional and global security.
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