A/RES/42/31 GA

111. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the First Committee 65 protocols relating to other categories of conventional weapons not covered by the existing Protocols; 5. Requests the Secretary-General as depositary of the Convention and its three annexed Protocols to inform the General Assembly from time to time of the state of adher- ence to the Convention and its Protocols; 6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-third session the ítem entitled "Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Con- ventional W eapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Exces- si vely lnjurious or to Have lndiscriminate Effects". 84th plenary meeting 30 November 1987 42/31. Conclusion of effective international arrange- ments on the strengthening of the security of non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons The General Assembly, Convinced of the need to take effective measures for the strengthening of the security of States, and prompted by the desire shared by ali nations to eliminate war and pre- vent nuclear conflagration, Considering that, until nuclear disarmament is achieved on a universal basis, it is imperative for the international community to develop effective measures to ensure the security of non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Recognizing that effective measures to assure non- nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons can constitute a positive contribution to the prevention of the spread of such weapons, Noting with satisfaction the determination of non- nuclear-weapon States in various parts ofthe world to pre- vent nuclear weapons from being introduced into their ter- ritories and to ensure the complete absence of such weapons from their respective regions, including through the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones on the ba- sis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the regions concerned, and being anxious to encourage and contribute to the attainment of this objective, Desirous of promoting the implementation of paragraph 59 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, 11 the first special session devoted to disarmament, in which it urged the nuclear-weapon States to pursue efforts to conclude, as appropriate, effec- tive arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Recalling its numerous resolutions on this subject, as well as the relevant part of the special report of the Com- mittee on Disarmament 16 submitted to the General As- sembly at its twelfth special session, 17 the second special session devoted to disarmament, Noting that the Conference on Disarmament considered in 1987 the item entitled "Effective international arrange- ments to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons", as reflected in its re- port, 18 where it is stated that discussions on the conclu- 16 The Committee on Disarmament was redesignated the Conference on Disarmament as from 7 February 1984. 17 Official Records of the General Assembly. Twelfth Special Session. Supplement No. 2 (A/S-12/2), sect. III.C. 18 [bid.. Forty-second Session. Supplemenl No. 27 (A/42/27). sect. 111.F. sions that could be drawn from the work of the Ad Hvc Committee on this item, induding consideration of the possibilities for interim measures and alternatives, once again proved inconclusive, Notingfurther that during that consideration the impor- tance of making progress on this issue was underlined in the light of the forthcoming third special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, Recalling the proposals submitted on the subject to t he General Assembly and in the Conference on Disarma- ment, induding the drafts of an international convention, and the widespread international support for the condu- sion of such a convention, Aware that additional proposals on the substance of the issue of security assurances with respect to non-nuclear- weapon States were submitted in the Conference on Disar- mament in 1987, as reflected in its report, 18 Aware a/so that the work on the substance of the elfec- tive arrangements and discussion on various aspects and elements of an interim solution revealed that specific dif- ficulties relating to differing perceptions of security in- terests persisted and that the complex nature of the issues involved continued to prevent agreement on a "common formula", Recognizing the need for fresh approaches to the solu- tion of urgent security issues in the nuclear age, many of which relate to the security of 11011-nuclear-weapon States as well, Aware of the wide support in the Conference on Disar- mament for continuing the search for a "common for- mula", which could be included in an international legally binding instrument to assure 11011-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Welcvming once agai11 the solemn declarations made by sorne nuclear-weapon States concerning 11011-first use of nuclear weapons, and convinced that if ali nuclear- weapon States were to assume obligations not to be the first to use nuclear weapons, that would be tantamount in practice to banning the use of nuclear weapons against ali States, including ali non-nuclear-weapon States, Considering that the 11011-nuclear-weapon States having no nuclear weapons on their territories have every right to receive reliable, uniform and unconditional international legal assurances against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, 1. Reaffirms once again the urgent need to reach agree- ment on effective international arrangements to assure 11011-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and to find a common approach ac- ceptable to ali; 2. Considers that the Conference on Disarmament should continue to explore ways and means of overcoming the difficulties encountered in carrying out negotiations on this question; 3. Appeals to ali States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to demonstrate political will and to exercise the flexibility necessary to reach agreement on a "common formula", which could be included in an international in- strument of a legally binding nature; 4. Requests the Conference on Disarmament to con- tinue active negotiations on this subject and to establish for this purpose the relevant ad hoc committee at the be- ginning of its 1988 session; 5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-third session the item entitled "Conclusion of effec-- 66 General Assembly-Forly-second Session tive international arrangements on the strengthening of the security of non-nuclear-weapon States agairn,t the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons". 84th plenary meeting 30 November 1987 42/32. Conclusion of effective international arrange- ments to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weap- ons The General Assemb/y, Bearing in mind the need to allay the legitimate concern of the States of the world with regard to ensuring lasting security for their peoples, Convinced that nuclear weapons pose the greatest threat to mankind and to the survival of civilization, Deep/y concerned at the continuing escalation of the arms race, in particular the nuclear-arms race, and the possibility of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Convinced that nuclear disarmament and the complete elimination of nuclear weapons are essential to remove the danger of nuclear war, Taking into account the principie of the non-use of force or threat of force enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, Deeply concerned about the possibility of the use or threat of use of nuclear weapon~, Recognizing that the independence, territorial integrity and sovereignty of non-nuclear-weapon States need to be safeguarded against the use or threat of use of force, in- cluding the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Considering that, until nuclear disarmament is achieved on a universal basis, it is imperative for the international community to develop effective measures to ensure the security of non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons from any quarter, Recognizing that effective measures to assure the non- nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons can constitute a positive contribution to the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons, Reca/ling its resolutions 3261 G (XXIX) of 9 December 1974 and 31/189 C of 21 December 1976, Bearing in mind paragraph 59 ofthe Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, 11 in which it urged the nuclear-weapon States to pursue efforts to conclude, as appropriate, effective arrangements to as- sure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear wcapons, Desirous of promoting the implementation of the rele- van! provisions of thc Final Docume11t of the Tenth Spe- cial Sessio11, Reca/ling its resolutions 33/72 B of 14 December 1978, 34/85 of 11 December 1979, 35/155 of 12 December 1980, 36/95 of 9 December 1981, 37/81 of 9 December 1982, 38/68 of 15 Decemher 1983, 39/58 of 12 December 1984, 40/86 of 12 Decemher 1985 and 41 /52 of 3 Dccem- ber 1986, Further reca//ing paragraph 12 of thc Declaration of the 1980s as the Second Disarmament Decade, co11tai11ed in the a1111ex to its rcsolution 35/46 of 3 December 1980, which states, in ter afia, that ali efforts should be exerted by the Committee on Disarmame11t 16 urgently to negoti- ate with a view to reaching agreement on effective interna- tional arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, Noting the in-depth negotiations undertaken in the Con- ference on Disarmament and its Ad Hoc Committee on Ef- fective International Arra11gements to Assure Non- Nuclear Weapon States against the Use or Threat of Use of Nuclear Weapons, 19 with a view to reaching agreement on this itern, Noting the proposals submitted under that ítem in the Conference on Disarmament, including the drafts of an in- ternational convention, l'aking note of the decision of the Eighth Conference of Heads of Sta te or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Harare frnm I to 6 September 1986,20 as well as thc relevant recommendations of the Organization of the Is- lamic Conference reiterated in the Final Communiqué of the Sixteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Fez, Morocco, from 6 to 10 January 1986,21 calling upon the Conference on Disarmament to reach an urgent agreement on an international convention to assure 11011- nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapo11s, Further noting the support expressed in the Conference 011 Disarmament and in the General Assembly for thc elaboration of an international convention to assure non- nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as the difficulties pointed out in evolving a common approach acceptablc to ali, 1. Reaffirms thc urgent 11eed to reach agreement on ef- fective international arrangements to assure 11011-nuclear- weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons; 2. Notes with satüfaction that in the Confcrence on Disarmament there is no objection, in principie, to the idea of an internatio11al convention to assure non-nuclear- weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, although the difficulties as regards evolving a common approach acceptable to ali have also been pointed out; 3. Appea/s to ali States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to demonstrate the political will necessary to reach agreement on a common approach and, in particular, on a common formula which could he included in an interna- tional instrument of a legally binding nature; 4. Recommends that further intensive efforts should be devoted to the search for such a common approach or common formula a11d that the various alternative appro- aches, including in particular those considered in the Con- ference 011 Disarmament, should be further explored in or- der to overcome the difficulties; 5. Recommends that the Conference on Disarmamenl should actively continue negotiations with a view to reach- ing early agreement and concluding effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or t hreat of use of nuclear weapons, taking into account the widespread support for the conclusion of an international convention and giving consideration to any other proposals designed to secure the same objective; b. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-third session the item entitled "Conclusion of effec- tive international arrangemcnt~ to assurc non-nuclear- 1'1 /hid., F,•rltcth S, \\Ío11, Supp/cm<'lll \/o. 2i (A/40/27 and ( ",,rr 1 \_ ,ce"!. 111.F •1º Scc A/4l/h97-~ \X.1,9~. anncx, :-.cct. l. para_ 49 ·' 1 Se,: A/41/.120 S IK04". anncx 1

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