Economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its extremely harmful effects on world peace and security.

  • Author: UN General Assembly (32nd sess. : 1977)
  • Document source:
  • Date:
    12 December 1977

32. RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE
75. Economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its extremely harmful effects on world peace and security

The General Assembly, Having considered the item entitled "Economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its, extremely harmful effects on world peace and security", Recalling its resolutions 2667 (XXV) of 7 December 1970, 2831 (XXVI) of 16 December 1971, 3075 (XXVIII) of 6 December 1973 and 3462 (XXX) of 11 December 1975, Deeply concerned that, despite the repeated requests by the General Assembly for the implementation of effective measures aimed at its cessation, the arms race, particularly of nuclear armaments, has continued to increase at an alarming speed, absorbing enormous material and human resources from the economic and social development of all countries and constituting a grave danger for world peace and security, Considering that the ever spiralling arms race is not compatible with the efforts aimed at establishing a new international economic order, as defined in the Declaration and the Programme of Action on the Establishment of a New International Economic Order, contained in General Assembly resolutions 3201 (S-VI) and 3202 (S-VI) of 1 May 1974, in the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, contained in Assembly resolution 3281 (XXIX) of 12 December 1974, and in other resolutions of the Assembly, and that these efforts imply more than ever the resolute action of all States to achieve the cessation of the arms race and the implementation of effective measures of disarmament, particularly in the nuclear field, Conscious that disarmament is a matter of grave concern to all States and that consequently there is a pressing need for all Governments and peoples to be informed about and to understand the situation prevailing in the field of the arms race and disarmament, Recalling that the Secretary-General was requested by the General Assembly, in resolution 3462 (XXX), to bring up to date, with the assistance of qualified consultant experts appointed by him, the 1971 report entitled Economic and Social Consequences of the Arms Race and of Military Expenditures,[1] covering the basic topics of that report and taking into account any new developments which he would consider necessary, and to transmit it to the Assembly in time to permit its consideration at the thirty-second session,

1. Welcomes with satisfaction the updated report of the Secretary-General entitled Economic and Social Consequences of the Arms Race and of Military Expenditures[2] and expresses the hope that it will help to focus future disarmament negotiations on nuclear disarmament and on the goal of general and complete disarmament under effective international control;

2. Expresses its appreciation to the Secretary-General and to the consultant experts as well as to the Governments and international organizations that have rendered assistance in the updating of the report;

3. Decides to transmit the report to the General Assembly at its special session devoted to disarmament, to be held in New York between 23 May and 28 June 1978;

4. Recommends that the conclusions of the updated report on the economic and social consequences of the arms race and of military expenditures should be taken into account in future disarmament negotiations;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to arrange for the reproduction of the report as a United Nations publications and to give it the widest possible publicity in as many languages as is considered desirable a practicable;

6. Recommends to all Governments the widest possible distribution of the report, including its translation into the respective national languages;

7. Invites the specialized agencies as well as intergovernmental, national and non-governmental organizations to use their facilities to make the report widely known;

8. Reaffirms its decision to keep the item entitled "Economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its extremely harmful effects on world peace and security" under constant review and decides to include it in the provisional agenda of its thirty-fifth session.

100th plenary meeting
12 December 1977


[1] A/8469/Rev.1 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.72.IX.16). [2] A/32/Rev.1 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.78.IX.1).
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