A/RES/42/33 GA

111. Resolutions adopted on the reports of the First Committec 67 weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons". 84th plenary meeting 30 November 1987 42/33. Prevention of an arms race in outer space The General Assemb/y, Inspired by the great prospects opening up before man- kind as a result of man's entry into outer space, Recognizing the common interest of all mankind in the exploration and use of outer space for peaceful purposes, Reaffirming that the exploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall be carried out for the benefit and in the interest of ali coun- tries, irrespective of their degree of economic or scientific development, and shall be the province of ali mankind, Reaffirming Jurther the will of ali States that the ex- ploration and use of outer space, including the Moon and other celestial bodies, shall be for peaceful purposes, Recalling that the States parties to the Treaty on Princi- pies Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies,22 have undertaken, in article 111, to carry on activities in the exploration and use of outer space, in- cluding the Moon and other celestial bodies, in accor- dance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, in the interest of maintaining interna- tional peace and security and promoting international co- operation and understanding, Reaffirming, in particular, article IV of the above- mentioned Treaty, which stipulates that States parties to the Treaty undertake not to place in orbit around the Earth any objects carrying nuclear weapons or any other kinds of weapons of mass destruction, install such weap- ons on celestial bodies or station such weapons in outer space in any other manner, Reaffirming a/so paragraph 80 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, 11 in which it is stated that, in order to prevent an arms race in outer space, further measures should be taken and appro- priate international negotiations held in accordance with the spirit of the Treaty, Recalling its resolutions 36/97 C and 36/99 of9 Decem- ber 1981, as well as resolutions 37 /83 of9 December 1982, 37 /99 D of 13 December 1982, 38/70 of 15 December 1983, 39/59 of 12 December 1984, 40/87 of 12 December 1985, and 41/53 of 3 December 1986 and the relevant paragraphs of the Political Declaration adopted by the Eighth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, held at Harare from 1 to 6 Sep- tember 1986,23 Grave/y concerned at the danger posed to ali mankind by an arms race in outer space and, in particular, by the im- pending threat of the exacerbation of the current state of insecurity by developments that could further undermine international peace and security and retard the pursuit of general and complete disarmament, Mindful of the widespread interest expressed by Mem- ber States in the course of the negotiations on and follow- ing the adoption of the above-mentioned Treaty in ensur- ing that the exploration and use of outer space should be 22 Resolution 2222 (XXI), annex. 23 See A/41/697-S/18392, annex, para, 36-39. for peaceful purposes, and taking note of proposals sub- mitted to the General Assembly at its tenth special session and at its regular sessions and to the Conference on Disar- mament, Noting the grave concern expressed by the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peace- ful Uses of Outer Space at the extension of an arms race into outer space and the recommendations24 made to the competent organs of the United Nations, in particular the General Assembly, and also to the Committee on Disar- mament, 16 Convinced that further measures are needed for the pre- vention of an arms race in outer space, Recognizing that, in the context of multilateral negotia- tions for preventing an arms race in outer space, bilateral negotiations between the Union ofSoviet Socialist Repub- lics and the United States of America could make a signifi- cant contribution to such an objective, in accordance with paragraph 27 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session, Noting with satisfaction that bilateral negotiations be- tween the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America have continued since 1985 on a complex of questions concerning space and nuclear arms, both strategic and intermediate-range, and in their rela- tionship, with the declared objective, endorsed in the joint statement of their leaders on 21 November 1985, 15 of working out effective agreements aimed, in ter afia, at pre- venting an arms race in outer space, Anxious that concrete results should emerge from these negotiations as soon as possible, Taking note of that part of the report of the Conference on Disarmament relating to this question,26 Welcoming the re-establishment of an Ad Hoc Commit- tee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space during the 1987 session of the Conference on Disarma- ment, in the exercise of the negotiating responsibilities of this sole multilateral negotiating body on disarmament, to continue to examine and to identify through substantive and general consideration issues relevant to the prevention of an arms race in outer space, Noting that the work accomplished in 1987 by the Ad Hoc Committee has contributed to a fuller identification of issues anda better understanding ofa number ofproblems and to a clearer perception of the various positions, 1. Recalls the obligation of ali States to refrain from the threat or use of force in their space activities; 2. Reaffirms that general and complete disarmament under effective international control warrants that outer space shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that it shall not become an arena for an arms race; 3. Emphasizes that further measures with appropriate and effective provisions for verification to prevent an arms race in outer space should be adopted by the international community; 4. Calls upan ali States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the objective of the peaceful use of outer space and to take immediate mea- sures to prevent an arms race in outer space in the interest 24 See Reporl of the Second United Nations Conference on the Exploration and Peaceful Ul"es of Outer Space. Vienna. 9-21 August 1982 (A/CONF.101/10 and Corr.1 and 2), para. 426. 2' A/40/1070. annex. 26 Official Records of the General Assembly. Forry-second Session. Supplemenr No. 27 (A/42127). ,ect. III.E. 68 General Assembly-Forty-second Session of maintaining international peace and security and pro- moting international co-operation and understanding; 5. Recognizes, as stated in the report of the Ad Hoc Committee on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space, that the legal régime applicable to outer space, as such, is not sufficient to guarantee the prevention of an arms race in outer space, the significant role that the régime plays in the prevention of an arms race in that envi- ronment, the need to consolidate and reinforce the régime and to enhance its etfectiveness, and the importance of strict compliance with existing agreements, both bilateral and multilateral; 6. Reitera/es that the Conference on Disarmament, as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum, has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement or agreement~, as appropriate, on the preven- tion of an arms race in outer space in ali its aspects; 7. Requests the Conference on Disarmament to con- sideras a matter of priority the question of preventing an arms race in outer space: 8. A/so requests the Conference on Disarmament to in- tensify its consideration of the question of the prevention of an arms race in outer space in ali its aspects, taking into account all relevant proposals, including those presented in the Ad Hoc Committee at the 1987 session of the Con- ference and at the forty-second session of the General As- sembly; 9. Further requests the Conference on Disarmament to re-establish an ad hoc committee with an adequate man- date at the beginning of its 1988 session, with a view to un- dertaking negotiations for the conclusion ofan agreement or agreements, as appropriate, to prevent an arms race in outer space in ali its aspects; 10. Urges the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America to pursue intensively their bilateral negotiations in a constructive spirit aimed at reaching early agreement for preventing an arms race in outer space, and to advise the Conference on Disarma- ment periodically of the progress of their bilateral sessions so as to facilitate its work; 11. Calls upon all States, cspecially those with major space capabilities, to refrain, in their activities relating to outer space, from actions contrary to the observance ofthe relevan! existing treaties or to the objective of preventing an arms race in outer space; 12. Takes note of the fact that the study on disarma- ment problems relating to outer space and the conse- quence of extending the arms race into outer space, called for in resolution 41/53, has been prepared by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research and that, after a final meeting of the group of experts held in Sep- tember 1987, the report was finalized and being prepared for publication in autumn 1987; 13. Requests the Secretary-General to invite the views of Member Sta tes on all aspects of the question of the pre- vention of an arms race in outer space and to submit a re- port to the General Assembly at its forty-third session; 14. Requests the Conference on Disarmament to re- port on its consideration of this subject to the General As- sembly at its forty-third session; 15. Requests the Secretary-General to transmit to the Conference on Disarmament ali documents relating to the consideration of this subject by the General Assembly at its forty-second session; 16. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-third session the item entitled "Prevention of an arms race in outer space". 84th plenary meeting 30 November 1987 42/34. lmplementation of the Declaration on the Denu- clearization of Africa A IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DECLARATION The General Assembly, Bearing in mind the Declaration on the Denucleariza- tion of Africa27 adopted by the Assembly of Heads ofState and Government of the Organization of African Unity at its first ordinary session, held at Cairo from 17 to 21 July 1964, Recalling its resolution 1652 (XVI) of 24 November 1961, its earliest on the subject, as well as its resolutions 2033 (XX) of 3 December 1965, 31 /69 of 10 December 1976, 32/81 of 12 December 1977, 33/63 of 14 December 1978, 34/76 A of 11 December 1979, 35/146 B of 12 December 1980, 36/86 B of9 December 1981, 37/74 A of 9 December 1982, 38/ 181 A of 20 December 1983, 39/61 A of 12 December 1984, 40/89 A of 12 December 1985 and 41/55 A of 3 December 1986, in which it called upon all States to consider and respect the continent of Africa and its surrounding areas as a nuclear-weapon-free zone, Recalling that in its resolution 33/63 it vigorously con- demned any overt or covert attempt by South Africa to in- troduce nuclear weapons jnto the continent of Africa and demanded that South Africa refrain forthwith from con- ducting any nuclear explosion in the continent or else- where, Bearing in mind the provisions of resolution CM/ Res.1101 (XL Vl)/Rev.1 Z8 on the denuclearization of A frica adopted by the Council of Ministers of the Organi- zation of African Unity at its forty-sixth ordinary session, held at Addis Ababa from 20 to 25 July 1987, Having taken note of the report of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research entitled "South Africa's nuclear capability",29 undertaken in co-operation with the Department for Disarmament Atfairs of the Se- cretariat and in consultation with the Organization of African Unity, as well as the report of the Disarmament Commission, 30 Noting the actions taken by those Governments which have taken measures to restrict co-operation with South Africa in nuclear and other fields, Expressing regret that, despite the threat that South Africa's nuclear capability constitutes to international peace and security and, in particular, to the realization of the objective of the Declaration on the Denuclearization of Africa, the Disarmament Commission, although it made sorne progress during its substantive session in 1987, failed once again to reach a consensus on this importan! item on its agenda, 27 /bid .. fwentieth Sesswn. Annexes, agenda item 105. document A/5975. 28 See A/42/699, annex l. n A/39/470. JO Official Records of the General Assembly. Forty-second Se.,sion. Supp/ement No. 42 ( .-\./42/42).

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