A/RES/66/40 GA

United Nations A/RES/66/40 General Assembly Distr.: General 12 January 2012 Sixty-sixth session Agenda item 98 (q) 11-46122 *1146122* Please rec cle ♲ Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 2 December 2011 [on the report of the First Committee (A/66/412)] 66/40. Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 65/59 of 8 December 2010, Reiterating its grave concern at the danger to humanity posed by the possibility that nuclear weapons could be used, and recalling the expression of deep concern by the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons,1 Reaffirming that nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation are mutually reinforcing processes requiring urgent irreversible progress on both fronts, Recalling the decisions entitled “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” and the resolution on the Middle East, all of which were adopted at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, 2 and the Final Document of the 2000 3 and the 2010 4 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Recalling in particular the unequivocal undertaking by the nuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals, leading to nuclear disarmament, in accordance with commitments made under article VI of the _______________ 1 See 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vol. I (NPT/CONF.2010/50 (Vol. I)), part I, Conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions. 2 See 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, Part I (NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I) and Corr.2), annex. 3 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vols. I–III (NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Parts I–IV)). 4 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vols. I–III (NPT/CONF.2010/50 (Vols. I–III)). A/RES/66/40 2 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,5 and reaffirmed by the 2010 Review Conference, Reaffirming the commitment of all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to apply the principles of irreversibility, verifiability and transparency in relation to the implementation of their treaty obligations, Recognizing the continued vital importance of the entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty6 to the advancement of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation objectives, and welcoming the recent ratifications of the Treaty by Ghana and Guinea, Reaffirming the conviction that the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones enhances global and regional peace and security, strengthens the nuclear non-proliferation regime and contributes towards realizing the objectives of nuclear disarmament, Recalling that the 2010 Review Conference encouraged the establishment of further nuclear-weapon-free zones, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned, and expressing the hope that this will be followed by concerted international efforts to create such zones in areas where they do not currently exist, especially in the Middle East, Noting with satisfaction the agreement at the 2010 Review Conference on practical steps to fully implement the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, Recognizing positive developments in the context of nuclear-weapon-free zones, notably the ratification by the Russian Federation of Protocols I and II to the Treaty of Pelindaba,7 the submission by the United States of America to the United States Senate for advice and consent of the Protocols to the Treaty of Pelindaba and the Treaty of Rarotonga, 8 the consultations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and nuclear-weapon States on the Protocol to the Treaty of Bangkok,9 and the holding of the second Conference of States Parties and Signatories to Treaties that Establish Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Mongolia, in New York on 30 April 2010, Welcoming the entry into force of the Treaty between the Russian Federation and the United States of America on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, while recalling the encouragement of the 2010 Review Conference to both States to continue discussions on follow-on measures in order to achieve deeper reductions in their nuclear arsenals, Recalling that the 2010 Review Conference reaffirmed and recognized that the total elimination of nuclear weapons is the only absolute guarantee against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and the legitimate interest of non-nuclear- weapon States in receiving unequivocal and legally binding security assurances from nuclear-weapon States, _______________ 5 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485. 6 See resolution 50/245. 7 See A/50/426, annex. 8 See The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook, vol. 10: 1985 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.86.IX.7), appendix VII. 9 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1981, No. 33873. A/RES/66/40 3 Deeply disappointed at the absence of progress towards multilateral negotiations on nuclear disarmament issues, including in the Conference on Disarmament, and underlining the importance of multilateralism in relation to nuclear disarmament, while recognizing the value also of bilateral and regional initiatives, Mindful that the first meeting of the preparatory process for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, to take place in May 2012, will begin to lay the groundwork for monitoring the fulfilment by all States parties of their commitments in the 2010 Review Conference action plan,1 including those by the nuclear-weapon States to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament, 1. Reiterates that each article of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons5 is binding on the States parties at all times and in all circumstances and that all States parties should be held fully accountable with respect to strict compliance with their obligations under the Treaty, and calls upon all States to comply fully with all decisions, resolutions and other commitments made at Review Conferences; 2. Welcomes the adoption by the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons of a substantive final document containing conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions relating to nuclear disarmament, including concrete steps for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, nuclear non-proliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy and the Middle East, particularly implementation of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East;4 3. Also welcomes, in particular, the resolve of the 2010 Review Conference to seek a safer world for all and to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons, in accordance with the objectives of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; 4. Further welcomes the expression by the 2010 Review Conference of deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of any use of nuclear weapons, and its reaffirmation of the need for all States at all times to comply with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law; 5. Welcomes the reaffirmation of the continued validity of the practical steps agreed to in the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,10 including the specific reaffirmation of the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon States to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament, to which all States parties are committed under article VI of the Treaty; 6. Recalls the commitment by the nuclear-weapon States to undertake further efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and non-deployed, including through unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral measures, underlines the recognition by the 2010 Review Conference of the legitimate interests of non-nuclear-weapon States in nuclear-weapon States _______________ 10 See 2000 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final Document, vol. I (NPT/CONF.2000/28 (Parts I and II)), part I, section entitled “Article VI and eighth to twelfth preambular paragraphs”, para. 15. A/RES/66/40 4 constraining their development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and ending their development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons, and calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to take steps in this regard; 7. Encourages further steps by all nuclear-weapon States, in accordance with the action plan on nuclear disarmament of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference,1 to ensure the irreversible removal of all fissile material designated by each nuclear-weapon State as no longer required for military purposes and to support the development of appropriate verification capabilities related to nuclear disarmament; 8. Calls upon all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to work towards the full implementation of the resolution on the Middle East adopted at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,2 recognizes the endorsement by the 2010 Review Conference of practical steps in a process leading to the full implementation of the 1995 resolution, including the convening of a conference in 2012, to be attended by all States of the region, on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction, calls upon the Secretary-General and the co-sponsors of the 1995 resolution, in close consultation and cooperation with the States of the region, to undertake all necessary preparations for the convening of the 2012 conference, and in this regard welcomes the recent appointment of a facilitator and designation of a host Government; 9. Continues to emphasize the fundamental role of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in achieving nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation and calls upon all States parties to spare no effort to achieve the universality of the Treaty, and in this regard urges India, Israel and Pakistan to accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear-weapon States promptly and without conditions; 10. Urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fulfil the commitments under the Six-Party Talks, including those in the September 2005 joint statement, to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes and to return, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to its adherence to the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement, with a view to achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, and reaffirms its firm support for the Six-Party Talks; 11. Encourages all States to work together to overcome obstacles within the international disarmament machinery, including in the Conference on Disarmament, that are inhibiting efforts to advance the cause of nuclear disarmament in a multilateral context; 12. Stresses, while noting that the nuclear-weapon States met in Paris on 30 June and 1 July 2011 to consider progress on the commitments they made at the 2010 Review Conference, the importance of the fulfilment of the commitments made by the nuclear-weapon States at the 2010 Review Conference to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament contained in the Final Document of the 2000 Review Conference and of their prompt engagement to ensure substantial progress in advance of the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; A/RES/66/40 5 13. Recalls that the commitment of the nuclear-weapon States to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament as envisaged in action 5 of the 2010 Review Conference action plan is: (a) To rapidly move towards an overall reduction in the global stockpile of all types of nuclear weapons, as identified in action 3 of the action plan; (b) To address the question of all nuclear weapons regardless of their type or their location as an integral part of the general nuclear disarmament process; (c) To further diminish the role and significance of nuclear weapons in all military and security concepts, doctrines and policies; (d) To discuss policies that could prevent the use of nuclear weapons and eventually lead to their elimination, lessen the danger of nuclear war and contribute to the non-proliferation and disarmament of nuclear weapons; (e) To consider the legitimate interest of non-nuclear-weapon States in further reducing the operational status of nuclear-weapons systems in ways that promote international stability and security; (f) To reduce the risk of accidental use of nuclear weapons; (g) To further enhance transparency and mutual confidence; 14. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to implement these commitments in a manner that enables the States parties to monitor them regularly during each review cycle, and in this regard urges those States to report regularly on the implementation of the commitments; 15. Welcomes the announcements made by some nuclear-weapon States providing information about their nuclear arsenals, policies and disarmament efforts, urges those nuclear-weapon States that have not yet done so also to provide this information, and encourages the nuclear-weapon States to agree as soon as possible on a standard reporting format to facilitate this reporting; 16. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States, in this regard and in reference to the outcome of the 2010 Review Conference, to regularly report on their efforts, including as part of any review of nuclear policies, to diminish the role and significance of nuclear weapons in all military and security concepts; 17. Calls upon all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to implement all elements of the 2010 Review Conference action plan in a faithful and timely manner so that progress across all of the pillars of the Treaty can be realized; 18. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its sixty-seventh session the item entitled “Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments” and to review the implementation of the present resolution at that session. 71st plenary meeting 2 December 2011

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