Reduction of military budgets.

35. RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON THE REPORTS OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE
142. Reduction of military budgets

A

The General Assembly, Expressing its deep concern about the ever-spiralling arms race and growing military expenditures, which constitute a heavy burden for the economies of all nations and have extremely harmful effects on world peace and security, Deeply convinced that the common aspirations of mankind for peace, security and progress require the urgent cessation of the arms race, particularly of the nuclear-arms race, and the reduction of military expenditures, as well as the adoption of effective measures leading towards general and complete disarmament, Reaffirming the provisions of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly according to which gradual reduction of military budgets on a mutually agreed basis, for example, in absolute figures or in terms of percentage points, particularly by nuclear-weapon States and other militarily significant States, would be a measure that would contribute to curbing the arms race and would increase the possibilities of reallocation of resources now being used for military purposes to economic and social development, particularly for the benefit of the developing countries,[1] Reaffirming that it is possible to achieve reductions in military budgets without affecting the military balance to the detriment of the national security of any State, Recalling its resolution 34/83 F of 11 December 1979, in which it, inter alia, stipulated that, in the light of the above-mentioned provision of the Final Document, a new impetus should be given to endeavours to achieve agreements to freeze, reduce or otherwise restrain, in a balanced manner, military expenditures, including adequate measures of verification satisfactory to all parties concerned, and, to this end, requested the Disarmament Commission to undertake during 1980 to examine and identify effective ways and means of achieving such agreements, Having considered the report of the Disarmament Commission on the work accomplished during its session of 1980 in pursuance of resolution 34/83 F,[2] Noting also the recommendation of the Disarmament Commission concerning the elements of the Declaration of the 1980s as the Second Disarmament Decade,[3] which provides that during the Decade renewed efforts should be made to reach agreement on the reduction of military expenditures and the reallocation of resources from military purposes to economic and social development, especially for the benefit of developing countries, Aware of the various proposals submitted by States and of the activities carried out so far within the framework of the United Nations in the field of the reduction of military budgets, Recalling also paragraph 41 of the Final Document, which refers, inter alia, to the contribution of the unilateral measures to the attainment of the disarmament goals, and welcoming in this connexion such measures taken by States aimed at the freezing and the reduction of their military expenditures,

1. Reaffirms the urgent need to reinforce the endeavours of all States and international action in the area of the reduction of military budgets, with a view to reaching international agreements to freeze, reduce or otherwise restrain military expenditures;

2. Reiterates the appeal to all States, in particular the most heavily armed States, pending the conclusion of agreements on the reduction of military expenditures, to exercise self-restraint in their military expenditure with a view to reallocating the funds thus saved to economic and social development, particularly for the benefit of developing countries;

3. Requests the Disarmament Commission to continue at its session to be held in 1981 the consideration of the item entitled "Reduction of military budgets", taking into account the provisions of General Assembly resolution 34/83 F as well as those of the present resolution, and, in particular, to identify and elaborate on the principles which should govern further actions of States in the field of the freezing and reduction of military expenditures, keeping in mind the possibility of embodying such principles into a suitable document at an appropriate stage;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to invite Member States to express their views and suggestions on the principles which should govern their actions in the field of the freezing and reduction of military expenditures and to prepare on this basis a report to be submitted to the Disarmament Commission at its session in 1981;

5. Considers that this action to be carried out by the Disarmament Commission should be regarded as complementary to any other ongoing activity within the framework of the United Nations related to the question of reduction of military budgets as well as to any possible unilateral initiatives which may be undertaken by States in this field;

6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-sixth session the item entitled "Reduction of military budgets".

94th plenary meeting
12 December 1980

B

The General Assembly, Recalling the provision of paragraph 90 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly,[4] according to which it should continue to consider what concrete steps should be taken to facilitate the reduction of military budgets, bearing in mind the relevant proposals and documents of the United Nations on this question, Convinced that reductions of military expenditures could be carried out without affecting the military balance to the detriment of the national security of any country, Recalling its resolution 33/67 of 14 December 1978, in which the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General, with the assistance of an ad hoc panel of experienced practitioners in the field of military budgeting:

(a) To carry out a practical test of the proposed reporting instrument with the voluntary co-operation of States from different regions and representing different budgeting and accounting systems,

(b) To assess the results of the practical tests,

(c) To develop recommendations for further refinement and implementation of the reporting instrument,

Taking note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General[5] submitted in pursuance of resolution 33/67, containing recommended steps leading to the early implementation of the revised instrument in a general and regular system for the international reporting of military expenditures, ensuring an increasing participation with a view to universal reporting by an ever-widening set of States and at the same time recommending that a further study should be undertaken of the problems of comparing military expenditures among different States and in different years as well as the problems of verification that will arise in connexion with agreements on reduction of military expenditures, Recognizing with satisfaction that a carefully elaborated reporting instrument has now become available for general and regular implementation, in the course of which it may be further refined, in particular through its testing by a widening set of States, Emphasizing the value of such a reporting instrument, once fully implemented in its refined form, as a means to increase confidence between States by contributing to greater openness in military matters, Convinced that the systematic reporting of military expenditures is an important first step in the move towards agreed and balanced reductions in military expenditures,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to make the necessary arrangements for the above-mentioned report to be issued as a United Nations publication and widely distributed;

2. Recommends that all Member States should make use of the reporting instrument and report annually to the Secretary-General their military expenditures of the latest fiscal year for which data are available, presenting their first report preferably not later than 30 April 1981;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to report on these matters to the General Assembly on an annual basis;

4. Requests the Secretary-General, with the assistance of an ad hoc group of qualified experts in the field of military budgets:[6]

(a) To refine further the reporting instrument on the basis of future comments and suggestions received from States during the general and regular implementation of the reporting instrument;

(b) To examine and suggest solutions to the question of comparing military expenditures among different States and between different years as well as to the problems of verification that will arise in connexion with agreements on reduction of military expenditures;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of paragraph 4 above to the General Assembly at its second special session devoted to disarmament;

6. Requests the Secretary-General to provide the group of experts with the necessary financial assistance and secretariat services;

7. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-sixth session the item entitled "Reduction of military budgets".

94th plenary meeting
12 December 1980

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[1] Resolution S-10/2, para. 89. [2] Official Records of the General Assembly, Thirty-fifth Session, Supplement No. 42 (A/35/42). [3] See resolution 35/46 above. [4] Resolution S-10/2. [5] A/35/479. [6] Subsequently referred to as the Group of Experts on the Reduction of Military Budgets.