A/RES/70/51 GA

United Nations A/RES/70/51 General Assembly Distr.: General 11 December 2015 Seventieth session Agenda item 97 (q) 15-16805 (E) *1516805* Please recycle Resolution adopted by the General Assembly on 7 December 2015 [on the report of the First Committee (A/70/460)] 70/51. Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 1 (I) of 24 January 1946, 67/34 of 3 December 2012, 68/39 of 5 December 2013 and 69/37 of 2 December 2014, Recalling the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, which was established to save succeeding generations from the untold suffering of the scourge of war, representing a historic opportunity to reaffirm that nuclear weapons should never be used again and to advance nuclear disarmament, Reiterating its grave concern at the danger to humanity posed by nuclear weapons, which should inform all deliberations, decisions and actions relating to nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, 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, and its resolve to seek a safer world for all and to achieve the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons,1 Noting with satisfaction the renewed attention to the catastrophic humanitarian consequences and risks associated with nuclear weapons that has been generated by the international community since 2010 and the growing awareness that these concerns should underpin the need for nuclear disarmament and the urgency of achieving and maintaining a nuclear-weapon-free world, and noting further with satisfaction the prominence accorded to the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons in multilateral disarmament forums, Recalling the discussions held at the Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, hosted by Norway on 4 and 5 March 2013, Mexico on 13 and 14 February 2014 and Austria on 8 and 9 December 2014, aimed at understanding _______________ 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. A/RES/70/51 Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments 2/6 and developing a greater awareness of the catastrophic consequences of nuclear weapons detonations which further reinforce the urgency of nuclear disarmament, Emphasizing the compelling evidence presented at the Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons which detailed the catastrophic consequences that would result from a nuclear weapon detonation, reaching well beyond national borders; the lack of capacity of States and international organizations to deal with the aftermath, and the risk of an occurrence, due to an accident, systems failure or human error, Noting in particular the research findings presented to the Vienna Conference regarding the strongly disproportionate and gendered impact of exposure to ionizing radiation for women and girls, Recalling the convening, on 26 September 2013, of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament and resolution 69/58 of 2 December 2014, entitled “Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament”, and the decisions contained therein, and welcoming the commemoration and promotion of 26 September as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, Welcoming resolution 69/41 of 2 December 2014 in which it encouraged Member States, international organizations and civil society to take into account the report of the Open-ended Working Group to develop proposals to take forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations for the achievement and maintenance of a world without nuclear weapons,2 as well as the report submitted by the Secretary- General pursuant to resolution 68/46 of 5 December 2013 on how to take forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations,3 which includes the steps already taken by Member States to promote multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations, Underlining the importance of nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation education, Reaffirming that transparency, verifiability and irreversibility are cardinal principles applying to nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation, which are mutually reinforcing processes, Recalling the decisions and the resolution adopted at the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,4 the basis upon which the Treaty was indefinitely extended, and the Final Documents of the 20005 and the 20106 Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and 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 Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,7 _______________ 2 A/68/514. 3 A/69/154 and Add.1. 4 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. 5 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)). 6 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)). 7 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485. Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments A/RES/70/51 3/6 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 Treaty8 to the advancement of nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation objectives, and welcoming the recent ratification of the Treaty by Angola, Recalling 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 negative security assurances from nuclear-weapon States pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, Reaffirming the conviction that, pending the total elimination of nuclear weapons, the establishment and maintenance 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, and welcoming the Conferences of States Parties and Signatories to Treaties that Establish Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Mongolia, Welcoming the ratification by China, France, the Russian Federation and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland of the Protocol to the Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia, and urging those States to continue to make real progress towards strengthening all existing nuclear-weapon-free zones through, inter alia, the withdrawal or revision of any reservations or interpretative declarations contrary to the object and purpose of the treaties establishing such zones, Recalling the encouragement expressed at the 2010 Review Conference for the establishment of further nuclear-weapon-free zones, on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned, reaffirming the expectation 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, and in this context noting with deep disappointment the non-fulfilment of the agreement at the 2010 Review Conference on practical steps to fully implement the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, and disappointed that no agreement could be reached at the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, held in New York from 27 April to 22 May 2015, on this issue, Deeply disappointed at the continued absence of progress towards multilateral negotiations on nuclear disarmament, in particular in the Conference on Disarmament, Deeply regretting the lack of any substantive outcome of the 2015 Review Conference, Disappointed that the 2015 Review Conference missed an opportunity to further strengthen the Treaty, enhance progress towards its full implementation and universality, and monitor the implementation of commitments made and actions _______________ 8 See resolution 50/245 and A/50/1027. A/RES/70/51 Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments 4/6 agreed at the 1995, 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences, and concerned about the impact of this failure on the Treaty and the balance among its three pillars, Acknowledging the ongoing efforts towards the full implementation 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 re-emphasizing 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, Underlining the importance of multilateralism in relation to nuclear disarmament, while recognizing also the value of unilateral, bilateral and regional initiatives, and the importance of compliance with the terms of these initiatives, Taking note of the reports presented by the nuclear-weapon States to the 2015 Review Conference, pursuant to actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference,9 and taking note also of the first edition of a glossary of key nuclear terms, 1. Reiterates that each article of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons7 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 parties to comply fully with all decisions, resolutions and commitments made at the 1995, 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences; 2. Also reiterates the deep concern expressed 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, and the need for all States at all times to comply with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law; 3. Acknowledges the evidence presented at the Conferences on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons, and calls upon Member States, in their relevant decisions and actions, to give due prominence to the humanitarian imperatives which underpin nuclear disarmament and to the urgency of achieving this goal; 4. Recalls 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 _______________ 9 Implementation of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons: report submitted by the People’s Republic of China (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/13); report submitted by France under actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/14); report submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland pursuant to actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/15); report submitted by the United States of America pursuant to actions 5, 20 and 21 of the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/16); statement on measures taken by the Russian Federation as regards actions 5, 20 and 21 contained in the Final Document of the 2010 Review Conference (NPT/CONF.2015/PC.III/17). 10 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. Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments A/RES/70/51 5/6 Treaty, recalls the commitment of the nuclear-weapon States to accelerate concrete progress on the steps leading to nuclear disarmament, and calls upon the nuclear- weapon States to take all steps necessary to accelerate the fulfilment of their commitments; 5. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to fulfil their commitment 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; 6. Urges all States possessing nuclear weapons to decrease the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems in a verifiable and transparent manner with a view to ensuring that all nuclear weapons are removed from high alert status; 7. Encourages the nuclear-weapon States to make concrete reductions in the role and significance of nuclear weapons in all military and security concepts, doctrines and policies, pending their total elimination; 8. Encourages all States that are part of regional alliances that include nuclear-weapon States to further promote a diminishing role for nuclear weapons in their collective security doctrines, pending their total elimination; 9. Underlines the recognition by States parties to the Treaty of the legitimate interest of non-nuclear-weapon States in the constraining by the nuclear- weapon States of the development and qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons and their ending the development of advanced new types of nuclear weapons, and calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to take steps in this regard; 10. Encourages further steps by all nuclear-weapon States, in accordance with the previous commitments and obligations on nuclear disarmament, to ensure the irreversible removal of all fissile material designated by each nuclear-weapon State as no longer required for military purposes, and calls upon all States to support, within the context of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the development of appropriate nuclear disarmament verification capabilities and legally binding verification arrangements, thereby ensuring that such material remains permanently outside military programmes in a verifiable manner; 11. Calls upon all States parties to the Treaty 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, which is inextricably linked to the indefinite extension of the Treaty, and expresses disappointment and deep concern at the lack of a substantive outcome of the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, including on the process to establish a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction as contained in the 1995 resolution on the Middle East, which remains valid until fully implemented; 12. Expresses its profound disappointment at the failure to convene a conference in 2012 on the establishment in the Middle East of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction as mandated at the 2010 Review Conference; 13. Stresses 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 A/RES/70/51 Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments 6/6 non-nuclear-weapon States promptly and without conditions, and to place all of their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards; 14. Urges the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to fulfil its commitments under the Six-Party Talks, including those in the September 2005 joint statement, to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programmes, to return, at an early date, to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and to adhere to its International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement,11 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; 15. Urges all States to work together to overcome obstacles within the international disarmament machinery that are inhibiting efforts to advance the cause of nuclear disarmament in a multilateral context, and urges the Conference on Disarmament once again to commence, without delay, substantive work that advances the agenda of nuclear disarmament, particularly through multilateral negotiations; 16. Urges the nuclear-weapon States to include in their reports during the review cycle for the 2020 Review Conference concrete and detailed information concerning the implementation of their undertakings on nuclear disarmament; 17. Calls upon the nuclear-weapon States to implement their nuclear disarmament commitments, both qualitative and quantitative, in a manner that enables the States parties to regularly monitor progress, including through a standard detailed reporting format, thereby enhancing confidence and trust not only among the nuclear-weapon States but also between the nuclear-weapon States and the non-nuclear-weapon States and contributing to sustainable nuclear disarmament; 18. Calls upon all States parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to implement without delay all the commitments and obligations of the 2010 Review Conference action plan; 19. Urges Member States to pursue multilateral negotiations without delay, in good faith, on effective measures for the achievement and maintenance of a nuclear-weapon-free world, in keeping with the spirit and purpose of General Assembly resolution 1 (I) and article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and to this end urges Member States to explore options and support efforts to identify, elaborate and negotiate legally binding effective measures for nuclear disarmament; 20. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-first session, under the item entitled “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-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. 67th plenary meeting 7 December 2015 _______________ 11 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 1677, No. 28986.

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