A/RES/3474(XXX) GA

24 General Auembly-Thirtieth Se11ion Having examined the comprehensive study of the question of nuclear-weapon-free zones in all its aspects36 carried out under the auspices of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament by the Ad Hoc Group of Quali.fied Governmental Experts for the Study of the Question of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones in pursuance of--General Assembly resolution 3261.F (XXIX) of 9 December 1974, Having also examined the comments made by States members of the Conference of the Committee on Dis- armament regarding that study,37 the text of which is annexed to the special report in which the Conference transmitted the study to the General Assembly,35 Bearing in mind that, without prejudice to the results that may be obtained through any further examination of this matter, from the analysis of the contents of the special report it is already possible at this time to draw certain incontrovertible conclusions, N oting that from among those conclusions it would seem advisable to stress the necessity that the General Assembly define the concept of a nuclear-weapon-free zone and the scope of the principal obligations of the nuclear-weapon States towards such zones and towards the States included therein, Convinced that in so doing it will strengthen the new efforts recently undertaken and the realizations already achieved for the establishment of nuclear- weapon-free zones, Solemnly adopts the following declaration: I. Definition of the concept of a nuclear-weapon-free zone 1. A "nuclear-weapon-free zone" shall, as a general rule, be deemed to be any zone, recognized as such by the General Assembly of the United Nations, which any group of States, in the free exer- cise of their sovereignty, has established by virtue of a treaty or convention whereby: (a) The statute of total absence of nuclear weap- ons to which the zone shall be subject, including the procedure for the delimitation of the zone, is defined; ( b) An intemational system of verification and control is established to guarantee compliance with the obligations deriving from that statute. II. Definition of the principal obligations of the nuclear-weapon States towards nuclear-weapon- free zones and towards the States included therein 2. In every case of a nuclear-weapon-free zone that has been recognized as such by the General Assembly, all nuclear-weapon States shall undertake or reaffirm, in a solemn intemational instrument hav- ing full legally binding force, such as a treaty, a convention or a protocol, the following obligations: (a) To respect in ali its parts the statute of total absence of nuclear weapons defined in the treaty or convention which serves as the constitutive instru- ment of the zone; ( b) To refrain from contributing in any way to the performance in the territories forming part of the zone of acts which involve a violation of the afore- said treaty or convention; (e) To refrain from using or threatening to use nuclear weapons against the States included in the zone. 111. Scope of the definitions 3. The above definitions in no way impair the resolutions which the General Assembly has adopted or may adopt with regard to specific cases of nuclear- weapon-free zones nor the rights emanating for the Member States from such resolutions. 2437th plenary meeting 11 December 1975 3473 (XXX). Implementation of General Assem- ~ly resolution 3262 (XXIX) concerning the 8lgnature and ratification of Additional Pro- tocol I of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear W eapons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco) The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 2286 (XXII) of 5 Decem- ber 1967 and 3262 (~XIX) of 9 December 1974 con- cerning the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weap- ons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco) 38 and its Additional Protocol I, . T~king into account that certain territories lying w1thm the zone of application of that Treaty which are not sovereign political entities are nevertheless in a position ~o recei~«:: the benefits deriving from the Treaty through its Add1t10nal Protocol I to which the States that de jure ?r 1e facto are intemationally responsible for those tetntones may become parties, Recalling with satisfaction that the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northem Ireland and the King- dom of the Netherlands became parties to Additional Protocol I in 1969 and 1971, respectively, l. Again urges France and the United States of America to sigo and ratify Additional Protocol I of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in ~atin ~merica (Treaty of Tlatelolco) as soon as pos- s1ble, m order that the peoples of the territories in question may receive the benefits which derive from the Treaty and which consist mainly in removing the dan- ger of nuclear attack and sparing the squandering of resources on the production of nuclear weapons; 2. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the present resolution to the two States to which the above appeal is addressed and to inform the General Assem- bly at its thirty-second session of any measure adopted by those States; . 3 .. Decides to inc_lude in. the provisional agenda of 1ts th1rty-second sess1on an 1tem entitled "lmplementa- tion of General Assembly resolution 3473 (XXX) con- ceming the signature and ratification of Additional Protocol I of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco) ". 2437th plenary meeting 11 December 1975 3474 (XXX). Establishment of a nuclear-weapon- free zone in the region of the Middle East The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 3263 (XXIX) of 9 Decem- ber 1974, in which it overwhelmingly commended the idea of the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East, 38 United Natfons, Treaty Series, vol. 634, No. 9068, p. 326. Resolutions adopted on the reporta of the First Committee 25 T aking note of the reports of the Secretary-General to the Security Council and the General Assembly,39 and the replies contained therein, on the question of the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East, Recognizing, on the basis of the above-mentioned reports, that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon- free zone in the Middle East enjoys wide support in the region, Mindful of the prevailing political situation in the region and of the potential danger emanating there- from, which would be further aggravated by the intro- duction of nuclear weapons in the area, Conscious, therefore, of the need to keep the coun- tries of the region from becorning involved in a ruinous nuclear arms race, Taking note of the comprehensive study of the ques- tion of nuclear-weapon-free zones in all its aspects,40 prepared by the Ad Hoc Group of Qualified Govem- mental Experts pursuant to General Assembly resolu- tion 3261 F (XXIX) of 9 December 1974, Recalling its resolution 2373 (XXII) of 12 June 1968, in which it expressed the hope for the widest possible adherence to the Treaty on the Non-Prolifera- tion of Nuclear Weapons41 by both nuclear-weapon and non-nuclear-weapon States, l. Expresses the opinion that the Member States with which the Secretary-General has consulted through his notes verbales of 19 March 1975 and 13 June 1975 pursuant to General Assembly resolution 3263 (XXIX) should exert efforts towards the realization of the ob- jective of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East; 2. Urges all parties directly concerned to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weap- ons as a means of promoting this objective; 3. Recommends that the Member States referred to in paragraph 1 above, pending the establishment of the nuclear-weapon-free zone under an effective system of safeguards, should: (a) Proclaim solemnly and immediately their in- tention to refrain, on a reciproca! basis, from produc- ing, acquiring or in any other way possessing nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices, and from per- rnitting the stationing of nuclear weapons, in their terri- tory or the territory under their control, by any third party; ( b) Refrain, on a reciproca! basis, from any other action that would facilitate the acquisition, testing or use of such weapons, or would be in any other way detrimental to the objective of the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region under an ef- fective system of safeguards; 4. Recommends to the nuclear-weapon States to refrain from any action contrary to the purpose of the present resolution and the objective of establishing, in the region of the Middle East, a nuclear-weapon-free 39 Of/iclal Recorth o/ the Security Council, Thirtl,th Year, Supplement for /uly, August and September 1975, documents S/11778 and Add.1-3 and ibid., Supplement for October, No- vember and December 1975, document S/11778/Add.4; A/ 10221 and Add.l and 2. "° Official Records o/ the General Assembly, Thirtieth Sea- sion, Supplement No. 27A (A/10027/Add.1), annex l. 41 Resolution 2373 (XXll), annex. zone under an effective system of safeguards and to extend their co-operation to the States of the region in their efforts to promote this objective; 5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-first session the itero entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East". 2437th plenary meeting 11 December 1975 3475 (XXX). Prohibition of action to influence the environment and climate for military and other hostile purposes, which are incom- patible with the maintenance of international seeurity, human well-being and health The General Assembly, Recalling that in its resolution 3264 (XXIX) of 9 December 1974 it requested the Conference of the Comrnittee on Disarmament to proceed as soon as pos- sible to achieving agreement on the text of a conven- tion on the prohibition of action to infl.uence the en- vironment for military and other hostile purposes, Convinced that the conclusion of such a convention would serve to spare mankind from the potential dan- gers of the use of environmental modification tech- niques for military and other hostile purposes, and thereby contribute to strengthening peace and averting the threat of war, Convinced also that such a convention should not affect the use of environmental modi<fication techniques for peaceful purposes, which should contribute to the preservation and improvetbent of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations, Taking into account the report of the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament42 as it relates to this question, Noting with satisfaction that the delegations of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Uni¡ed States of America submitted at the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament identical drafts of a con- vention on the prohibition of military or any other hos- tile use of environmental modification techniques43 and that other delegations offered suggestions and prelim- inary observations regarding those drafts, 1. Requests the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament to continue negotiations, bearing in miad existing proposals and suggestions as well as relevant discussion by the General Assembly, with a view tb reaching early agreement, if possible during the 1976 session of the Conference, on the text of a conventiol) on the prohibition of military or other hostile use of en-, vironmental modification techniques, and to submit a . special report on the results achieved for consideration by the Assembly at its thirty-first session; 2. Requests the Secretary-General to transrnit to the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament all doc- uments relating to the discussion by the General Assem- bly at its thirtieth session of the item entitled "Prohibi- tion of action to influence the environment and climate for military and other hostile purposes, which are in- compatible with the maintenance of intemational se- curity, human well-being and health"; 42 Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirtleth Se6■ sion. Supplement No. 27 (A/10027). 41 Jbid., annex II, documents CCD/471 and CCD/472.

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