Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly.

 

A. Freeze on nuclear weapons

The General Assembly, Convinced that in this nuclear age lasting world peace can be based only on the attainment of the goal of general and complete disarmament undereffective international control, Further convinced that the highest priority objectives in the field of disarmament have to be nuclear disarmament and the elimination of all weaponsof mass destruction, Recognizing the urgent need to halt the arms race, particularly in nuclear weapons, Recognizing further the urgent need for a negotiated reduction of nuclear-weapon stockpiles leading to their complete elimination,

1. Calls upon all nuclear-weapon States to agree to a freeze on nuclear weapons, which would, inter alia, provide for a simultaneous total stoppage of any further production of nuclear weapons and a complete cut-off in the production of fissionable material for weapons purposes;

2. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighthsession an item entitled "Freeze on nuclear weapons".

B. Nuclear arms freeze

The General Assembly, Recalling that, in the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of theGeneral Assembly, in 1978, it expressed deep concern over the threat to thevery survival of mankind posed by the existence of nuclear weapons and thecontinuing arms race, Recalling also that, on the same occasion, it pointed out that existingarsenals of nuclear weapons were more than sufficient to destroy all life onearth and stressed that mankind was therefore confronted with a choice: haltthe arms race and proceed to disarmament, or face annihilation, Noting that the conditions prevailing today are a source of even moreserious concern than those existing in 1978 because of several factors such asthe deterioration of the international situation, the increase in theaccuracy, speed and destructive power of nuclear weapons, the promotion ofillusory doctrines of "limited" or "winnable" nuclear war and the many falsealarms which have occurred owing to the malfunctioning of computers, Believing that it is a matter of the utmost urgency to stop any furtherincrease in the awesome arsenals of the two major nuclear-weapon States, whichalready have ample retaliatory power and a frightening overkill capacity, Believing also that it is equally urgent to activate negotiations for thesubstantial reduction and qualitative limitation of existing nuclear arms, Considering that a nuclear arms freeze, while not an end in itself, wouldconstitute the most effective first step for the achievement of theabove-mentioned two objectives, since it would provide a favourableenvironment for the conduct of the reduction negotiations while, at the sametime, preventing the continued increase and qualitative improvement ofexisting nuclear weaponry during the period when the negotiations would takeplace, Firmly convinced that at present the conditions are most propitious forsuch a freeze, since the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the UnitedStates of America are now equivalent in nuclear military power and it seemsevident that there exists between them an overall rough parity, l. Urges the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United Statesof America, as the two major nuclear-weapon States, to proclaim, eitherthrough simultaneous unilateral declarations or through a joint declaration,an immediate nuclear arms freeze which would be a first step towards thecomprehensive programme of disarmament and whose structure and scope would bethe following:

(a) It would embrace:

(i) A comprehensive test ban of nuclear weapons and of their delivery vehicles;

(ii) The complete cessation of the manufacture of nuclear weapons and of their delivery vehicles;

(iii) A ban on all further deployment of nuclear weapons and of their delivery vehicles;

(iv) The complete cessation of the production of fissionable material for weapons purposes;

(b) It would be subject to all relevant measures and procedures ofverification which have already been agreed by the parties in the case of theSALT I and SALT II treaties, as well as those agreed upon in principleby them during the preparatory trilateral negotiations on the comprehensive test ban held at Geneva;

(c) It would be of an initial five-year duration, subject to prolongation in the event of other nuclear-weapon States joining in such a freeze, as the General Assembly expects them to do;

2. Requests the above-mentioned two major nuclear-weapon States to submit a report to the General Assembly, prior to the opening of its thirty-eighth session, on the implementation of the present resolution;

3. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session an item entitled "Implementation of resolution 37/100 B on a nuclear arms freeze".

C. Convention on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons

The General Assembly, Alarmed by the threat to the survival of mankind and to thelife-sustaining system posed by nuclear weapons and by their use, inherent in concepts of deterrence, Convinced that nuclear disarmament is essential for the prevention ofnuclear war and for the strengthening of international peace and security, Further convinced that a prohibition of the use or threat of use ofnuclear weapons would be a step towards the complete elimination of nuclearweapons leading to general and complete disarmament under strict and effectiveinternational control, Recalling its declaration, contained in the Final Document of the TenthSpecial Session of the General Assembly, that all States should activelyparticipate in efforts to bring about conditions in international relationsamong States in which a code of peaceful conduct of nations in internationalaffairs could be agreed upon and which would preclude the use or threat of useof nuclear weapons, Reaffirming the declaration that the use of nuclear weapons would be aviolation of the Charter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity,contained in its resolutions 1653 (XVI) of 24 November 1961, 33/71 B of 14 December 1978, 34/83 G of 11 December 1979, 35/152 D of 12 December 1980 and 36/92 I of 9 December 1981,

1. Requests the Committee on Disarmament to undertake, on a prioritybasis, negotiations with a view to achieving agreement on an internationalconvention prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under anycircumstances, taking as a basis the text of the annexed draft Convention onthe Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons;

2. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighth session an item entitled "Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of NuclearWeapons".

ANNEX Draft Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons The States Parties to this Convention, Alarmed by the threat to the very survival of mankind posed by theexistence of nuclear weapons, Convinced that any use of nuclear weapons constitutes a violation of theCharter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity, Convinced that this Convention would be a step towards the completeelimination of nuclear weapons leading to general and complete disarmamentunder strict and effective international control, Determined to continue negotiations for the achievement of this goal, Have agreed as follows: Article l The States Parties to this Convention solemnly undertake not to use orthreaten to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances. Article 2 This Convention shall be of unlimited duration. Article 3

1. This Convention shall be open to all States for signature. AnyState which does not sign the Convention before its entry into force inaccordance with paragraph 3 of this article may accede to it at any time.

2. This Convention shall be subject to ratification by signatoryStates. Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with theSecretary-General of the United Nations.

3. This Convention shall enter into force on the deposit of instrumentsof ratification by twenty-five Governments, including the Governments of thefive nuclear-weapon States, in accordance with paragraph 2 of this article.

4. For States whose instruments of ratification or accession aredeposited after the entry into force of this Convention, it shall enter intoforce on the date of the deposit of their instruments of ratification oraccession.

5. The depositary shall promptly inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each instrumentof ratification or accession and the date of the entry into force of this Convention, as well as of the receipt of other notices.

6. This Convention shall be registered by the depositary in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article 4 This Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russianand Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with theSecretary-General of the United Nations, who shall send duly certified copiesthereof to the Governments of the signatory and acceding States. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed this Convention, opened for signature at___, on the day of one thousand nine hundred and___ .  

D. Confidence-building measures

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolution 36/97 F of 9 December 1981, in which it tooknote of the comprehensive study on confidence-building measures prepared bythe Secretary-General with the assistance of the Group of Governmental Expertson Confidence-building Measures appointed by him on an equitable geographicalbasis, Expressing its concern about the deterioration of the internationalsituation and the further escalation of the arms race, which both reflect andaggravate the unsatisfactory international political climate, tension andmistrust, Desirous of strengthening international peace and security and, at thesame time, creating and improving conditions conducive to further measures ofdisarmament, Noting again the findings of the comprehensive study onconfidence-building measures and in particular the important role thatconfidence-building measures can play with regard to regional and world-widestability as well as to progress in disarmament, Mindful of the fact that, while confidence-building measures cannot serveas a substitute for concrete disarmament measures, they play a verysignificant role in achieving disarmament, Convinced of the usefulness of confidence-building measures freelyarrived at by the States concerned and agreed upon, taking into account theparticular conditions and requirements of the regions concerned, Convinced of the need to reduce mistrust and fear among States throughthe realization of confidence-building measures, such as those recommended byconsensus in the comprehensive study on confidence-building measures,including pertinent and timely information on military activities and othermatters pertaining to mutual security, and measures concerning the militaryconduct of States in peacetime, as well as through progress on concretemeasures of disarmament, Recalling that confidence reflects a set of interrelated factors of amilitary as well as of a non-military character and that a plurality ofapproaches is needed to overcome fear, apprehension and mistrust betweenStates and to replace them by confidence,

1. Urges all States to encourage and assist all efforts designed toexplore further the ways in which confidence-building measures can strengtheninternational peace and security;

2. Invites all States to consider the possible introduction ofconfidence-building measures in their particular regions and, where possible,to negotiate on them in keeping with the conditions and requirementsprevailing in the respective regions;

3. Requests the Disarmament Commission to consider the elaboration ofguidelines for appropriate types of confidence-building measures and for theimplementation of such measures on a global or regional level;

4. Further requests the Disarmament Commission to submit a progressreport on its deliberations on this item to the General Assembly at itsthirty-eighth session;

5. Further recommends that all States consider the inclusion of areference to, or an agreement on, confidence-building measures, asappropriate, in any joint statements or declarations of a political nature;

6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighthsession an item entitled "Consideration of guidelines for confidence-buildingmeasures".

E. Disarmament and international security

The General Assembly, Recalling its resolutions 34/83 A of 11 December 1979, 35/156 J of12 December 1980 and 36/97 K of 9 December 1981, Viewing with concern the aggravation of the deteriorating world situationwhich has reached the lowest point of understanding and co-operation for peaceand security, thus making the survival of mankind extremely precarious, Alarmed at the present critical world situation and the incapacity of theUnited Nations to take decisive action, thus bringing into sharp focus thereality that the Security Council finds itself without the means to giveeffect to its decisions, even when they were unanimously adopted, Gravely concerned over the continuing stagnation in the disarmamentnegotiating efforts, while the arms race has been rapidly escalating withthreatening consequences and the danger of the outbreak of nuclear war hasincreased, Conscious of the need for a new and more positive approach to the wholeproblem of disarmament based on rendering operable the collective securitysystem provided for in the Charter of the United Nations in conjunction withefforts towards disarmament agreements, Convinced that to this end the first step is to restore to the SecurityCouncil its meaningfulness by making effective its decisions for themaintenance of international security and peace, as required by the Charter, Recognizing that this process would create the necessary conditions forthe cessation of the arms race and would facilitate productive negotiations ona comprehensive programme of disarmament, Recognizing further that the implementation of such an approach wouldengender a climate of confidence in the United Nations, thereby initiating astable detente that would harmonize the actions of nations - moresignificantly among the major Powers - for co-operation towards peace andsurvival, Aware that the principles of disarmament embodied in the Charter are anintegral part of the system of collective international security and flow fromit, Recalling paragraph 13 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Sessionof the General Assembly, in which it is recognized that genuine and lastingpeace can only be created through the effective implementation of the securitysystem provided for in the Charter and the speedy and substantial reduction ofarms and armed forces by international agreement and mutual example, Recalling further paragraph 62 of the Concluding Document of the TwelfthSpecial Session of the General Assembly, in which the Assembly stressed theneed for strengthening the central role of the United Nations in the field ofdisarmament and the implementation of the security system provided for in theCharter in accordance with the Final Document, Noting with appreciation the report of the Secretary-General on the workof the Organization, in which he emphasized, inter alia, that "our mosturgent goal is to reconstruct the Charter concept of collective action forpeace and security so as to render the United Nations more capable of carryingout its primary function" and appealed to all Governments to make a seriouseffort for "a more stable system of collective international security", Reaffirming its resolution 36/97 K of 9 December 1981, in which it calledfor the provisions of General Assembly resolution 35/156 J of12 December 1980, adopted by consensus, to be carried out,

1. Calls upon all States to take prompt action for the implementationof General Assembly resolution 36/97 K and to co-operate towards making moreeffective the system of security provided for in the Charter of the UnitedNations, thus effectively facilitating substantial disarmament;

2. Requests the Security Council - and more significantly its permanentmembers - to proceed with a sense of urgency to the necessary measures for theeffective implementation of the decisions of the Council, in accordance withthe Charter, for the maintenance of international peace and security.

F. Regional disarmament

The General Assembly, Reiterating its concern over the arms race, particularly in its nuclearaspects, and the continuing increase in arms expenditure, Recalling that all States, in particular nuclear-weapon States and othermilitarily significant States, have the responsibility for halting andreversing the arms race, Reaffirming the right of each State to make a sovereign assessment of theconditions necessary for its security and to take all appropriate measures inthis respect, taking into account the objectives and principles of the UnitedNations, as well as the specific conditions of each region, Taking account of the decisions and recommendations of the Final Documentof the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, inter alia in itsparagraph 114, Stressing the importance of the regional measures that have already beenadopted, as well as of efforts of a regional nature undertaken in the field ofnuclear and conventional disarmament, Aware of the studies that have already been carried out and are ofrelevance to regional disarmament, Recalling its resolutions 35/156 D of 12 December 1980 and 36/97 H of9 December 1981 concerning the Study on All the Aspects of RegionalDisarmament and the views of Member States on that study, Recalling also that one of the aims of regional disarmament is to assistin promoting the ultimate goal of general and complete disarmament undereffective international control, Confirming the importance and the potential effectiveness of regionaldisarmament measures taken at the initiative and with the participation of allthe States concerned, in that they can contribute to the realization ofgeneral and complete disarmament under strict and effective internationalcontrol,

1. Expresses the hope that Governments, where the circumstances of theregion permit, will consult with each other on appropriate regionaldisarmament measures that could be taken at the initiative, and with theparticipation of, all the States concerned;

2. Encourages Governments to consider the possible establishment orstrengthening at the regional level, where appropriate, of institutionalarrangements capable of promoting the implementation of such measures;

3. Calls upon Governments and the existing competent regionalinstitutions which may have taken measures to that end so to inform theSecretary-General;

4. Requests the Secretariat, in particular the Department forDisarmament Affairs, and the United Nations Institute for DisarmamentResearch to lend assistance to States and regional institutions which mayrequest it in the context of regional disarmament measures taken at theinitiative and with the participation of all the States concerned;

5. Requests the Secretary-General to submit a progress report to theGeneral Assembly at its thirty-eighth session;

6. Decides to include in the agenda of its thirty-eighth session anitem entitled "Regional disarmament: report of the Secretary-General".

G. United Nations programme of fellowships on disarmament

The General Assembly, Recalling its decision, contained in the Final Document of the TenthSpecial Session of the General Assembly, to establish a programme offellowships on disarmament, as well as its subsequent resolutions 33/71 Eof 14 December 1978, 34/83 D of 11 December 1979, 35/152 A of 12 December 1980and 36/92 A of 9 December 1981, in which it, inter alia, decided to continuethe programme, Recalling also its decisions, contained in the Concluding Document of theTwelfth Special Session of the General Assembly, in which it, inter alia,decided to continue the programme, to increase the number of fellowships fromtwenty to twenty-five as from 1983, and to request the Secretary-General tosubmit the financial implications of awarding twenty-five fellowships, takinginto account the necessary staffing requirements to meet the level ofactivities and structure of the programme and bearing in mind the savings thatcould be made within existing budgetary appropriations, Bearing in mind that the level of activities, including the programmeelements as outlined by the Secretary-General, has increased since theinception of the fellowship programme in 1979,

1. Requests the Secretary-General to make the necessary arrangementsfor the implementation of the programme for 1983, in accordance with theguidelines established for it, and to submit a progress report thereon to theGeneral Assembly at its thirty-eighth session;

2. Also requests the Secretary-General to provide adequate staffing atthe appropriate level to meet the requirements of the increased activities andthe expanded structure of the programme, bearing in mind the savings that canbe made within existing budgetary appropriations;

3. Commends the Secretary-General for the diligence with which theprogramme has continued to be carried out.

H. World Disarmament Campaign

The General Assembly, Aware of the public concern at the dangers of the arms race, particularlythe nuclear arms race, and its negative social and economic consequences, Noting that the World Disarmament Campaign is intended to promote publicinterest in and support for the goals set out in the Final Document of theTenth Special Session of the General Assembly, the first special sessiondevoted to disarmament, and in particular for the reaching of agreements onmeasures of arms limitation and disarmament with a view to achieving the goalof general and complete disarmament under effective international control, Reaffirming that the universality of the World Disarmament Campaignshould be guaranteed by the co-operation and participation of all States andby the widest possible dissemination of information and unimpeded access forall sectors of the public to a broad range of information and opinions onquestions of arms limitation and disarmament and the dangers relating to allaspects of the arms race and war, in particular nuclear war, Convinced that the United Nations system, Member States, with respect fortheir sovereign rights, and other bodies, in particular non-governmentalorganizations, all have their role to play in achieving the objectives of theWorld Disarmament Campaign, Taking into account the report of the Secretary-General on world-wideaction for collecting signatures in support of measures to prevent nuclearwar, to curb the arms race and for disarmament, Recalling its resolution 36/92 J of 9 December 1981 and the discussionsthereon at the twelfth special session, the second special session devoted todisarmament, Welcoming voluntary contributions made by some Member States to carry outthe objectives of the World Disarmament Campaign, Noting with satisfaction the report of the United Nations Educational,Scientific and Cultural Organization on its contribution to the WorldDisarmament Campaign,

1. Invites Member States, in the implementation of the activitieswithin the framework of the World Disarmament Campaign, to take into accountvarious views and opinions expressed at the twelfth special session, includingthe proposal on launching world-wide action for collecting signatures insupport of measures to prevent nuclear war, to curb the arms race and fordisarmament;

2. Also invites Member States to co-operate with the United Nations toensure a better flow of information with regard to the various aspects ofdisarmament and to avoid dissemination of false and tendentious information;

3. Takes note of the programme of activities for 1983 in the frameworkof the World Disarmament Campaign suggested in the report of theSecretary-General and requests the Secretary-General to inform the GeneralAssembly at its thirty-eighth session of the progress made in theimplementation of the present resolution.

I. World Disarmament Campaign

The General Assembly, Recalling that, in the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of theGeneral Assembly, the first special session devoted to disarmament, it declaredthat it was essential that not only Governments but also the peoples of theworld recognize and understand the dangers in the present situation andstressed the importance of mobilizing world public opinion on behalf ofdisarmament, Recalling also its resolutions 35/152 I of 12 December 1980 and 36/92 Cof 9 December 1981, as well as the reports of the Secretary-General of17 September 1981 and 11 June 1982, Noting with satisfaction that the World Disarmament Campaign contemplatedin the above resolutions and reports was solemnly launched on 7 June 1982 atthe opening meeting of the twelfth special session of the General Assembly,the second special session devoted to disarmament, Bearing in mind that at the twelfth special session the General Assemblydefined in general terms the objectives, contents, modalities and financialimplications of the World Disarmament Campaign and requested theSecretary-General to submit to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session thespecifics of the programme outlined in its previous report, Having examined the new report submitted by the Secretary-General inconformity with that request,

1. Approves the general framework of the World Disarmament Campaignspecified by the Secretary-General in his report of 3 November 1982 relatingto the programme of activities for the World Disarmament Campaign under theauspices of the United Nations, including the provisions of itsparagraph 21 relating to the submission of an annual report to the GeneralAssembly on the implementation of the Campaign during the preceding year, andthe transmission to the Assembly of the relevant views of the Advisory Boardon Disarmament Studies;

2. Also approves the programme of activities for the World DisarmamentCampaign for 1983 proposed in the report of the Secretary-General;

3. Reiterates its invitation to all Member States that have not yetdone so to supplement available United Nations resources with voluntarycontributions;

4. Decides that at the thirty-eighth session of the General Assemblythere should be a pledging conference for contributions from Member States forthe World Disarmament Campaign;

5. Declares again that voluntary contributions made by non-governmentalorganizations, foundations and trusts and other private sources would also bewelcome;

6. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-eighthsession the item entitled "World Disarmament Campaign".

J. World Disarmament Campaign: peace and disarmament movements

The General Assembly, Recognizing that well-informed discussion and debate on all points ofview relating to disarmament issues may exercise a positive influence on theattainmentof meaningful arms limitation measures, progress in disarmament and theultimate goal of general and complete disarmament under effectiveinternational control, Convinced that the best way to build trust and confidence and to advancethe conditions which contribute to the cause of disarmament is through theco-operation and participation of all States and by the widest possibledissemination of information and unimpeded access for all sectors of thepublic to a broad range of information and opinion on questions of armslimitation and disarmament, Desirous of promoting the ability of all citizens to participate in aninformed and free discussion of such matters, Recalling that the World Disarmament Campaign was launched at the twelfthspecial session, the second special session devoted to disarmament, Noting with satisfaction that at its twelfth special session the GeneralAssembly called, inter alia, for the World Disarmament Campaign to be carriedout in all regions of the world in a balanced, factual and objective manner,for the universality of the Campaign to be guaranteed by the co-operation andparticipation of all States and by the widest possible dissemination ofinformation, for unimpeded access by all sectors of the public to a broadrange of information and opinions, and for the Campaign to provide anopportunity for discussion and debate in all countries on all points of viewrelating to disarmament issues, objectives and conditions,

1. Calls upon Member States to facilitate the flow of a broad range ofaccurate information on disarmament matters, both governmental andnon-governmental, to and among their citizens, with a view to the furtheranceof the objectives of the World Disarmament Campaign and in order to advancethe final objective of general and complete disarmament under effectiveinternational control;

2. Calls upon all Member States to encourage their citizens freely andpublicly to express their own views on disarmament questions and to organizeand meet publicly for that purpose;

3. Requests the Secretary-General to report annually to the GeneralAssembly on implementation of the provisions of the present resolution.