EIGHT DISARMAMENT DRAFT RESOLUTIONS INTRODUCED IN FIRST COMMITTEE

28 October 1998

Press Release
GA/DIS/3122

EIGHT DISARMAMENT DRAFT RESOLUTIONS INTRODUCED IN FIRST COMMITTEE

19981028 Texts Address, Among Others, Information Security, Security Assurances to Non-Nuclear-Weapon States, Conference on Small Arms

The General Assembly would call on Member States to promote, at multilateral levels, the consideration of existing and potential threats in the field of information security, according to one of eight draft resolutions introduced this morning in the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security).

By further terms of the text, introduced by the representative of the Russian Federation, Member States would be invited to inform the Secretary-General of their views on such questions as the advisability of developing international legal regimes to secure global information and telecommunications systems and combat information criminality.

According to a draft resolution introduced by the representative of Pakistan, the Assembly would appeal to all States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to reach an early agreement on an international instrument of a legally binding character on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

A draft text on a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere, introduced by the representative of Brazil, would have the Assembly call upon the States parties to the existing nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties to pursue the common goals those zones envisaged and to promote the nuclear-weapon-free status of the southern hemisphere and adjacent areas.

Under the terms of a draft resolution introduced by the representative of India, on the role of science and technology in the context of international security, the Assembly would urge Member States to undertake multilateral negotiations aimed at establishing universally acceptable and non-discriminatory guidelines for international transfers of dual-use goods and technologies with military applications.

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The Assembly would call upon all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the prevention of an outer space arms race and to refrain from actions contrary to that objective and to the relevant existing treaties, according to a draft resolution introduced by the representative of Egypt.

The representative of Mexico introduced a draft resolution by which the Assembly would urge the Latin American and Caribbean countries that had not yet done so to ratify the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco), and welcome the recent concrete steps taken by some countries of the region to consolidate the regime of military denuclearization established by that Treaty.

By the terms of a text introduced by the representative of Sweden, the Assembly would urgently call upon all States to become parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons) and its protocols, particularly the Amended Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II).

The Assembly would decide to convene an international conference on the illicit arms trade not later than 2001 and request the Secretary-General to submit recommendations concerning the objective, scope, agenda, dates, venue and preparatory committee of such a conference, by the terms of a text introduced by the representative of Japan.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Qatar, Panama, United Kingdom and the Netherlands.

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Thursday, 29 October, to continue its thematic discussion and begin the introduction of all draft resolutions.

Committee Work Programme

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this afternoon to continue its thematic discussion and consideration of all disarmament and security-related draft resolutions.

The Committee is expected to hear the introduction of draft resolutions concerning: small arms; the role of science and technology in the context of international security; information and telecommunications developments in the context of international security; Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco); Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indiscriminate Effects; negative security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States; nuclear- weapon-free southern hemisphere; and the prevention of an arms race in outer space.

By the terms of the draft resolution on small arms (document A/C.1/53/L.13), the Assembly would decide to convene an international conference on the illicit arms trade in all its aspects not later than 2001. It would request the Secretary-General to prepare a report containing recommendations to be submitted at the Assembly's fifty-fourth session, with a view to arriving at an Assembly decision during that session on the objective, scope, agenda, dates, venue and preparatory committee of such a conference. It would also request the Secretary-General, in preparing that report, to seek the views of Member States in that regard and to take into account his report on small arms of 27 August 1997, as well as relevant recommendations to be made by the group of governmental experts on small arms.

The Assembly would further request the Secretary-General to initiate a study as soon as possible, within existing resources, on the feasibility of restricting the manufacture and trade of such weapons to the manufacturers and dealers authorized by States and of establishing, within the United Nations system, a single database of such authorized manufacturers and dealers.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Croatia, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Nigeria, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey and Uruguay.

Under the terms of a draft resolution on the role of science and technology in the context of international security (document A/C.1/53/L.15), the Assembly would urge Member States to undertake multilateral negotiations aimed at establishing universally acceptable and non-discriminatory guidelines for international transfers of dual-use goods and technologies with military

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applications. It would invite Member States to undertake additional efforts to apply science and technology for disarmament-related purposes and to make disarmament-related technologies available to interested States.

The Assembly would affirm that scientific and technological progress should be used to promote the sustainable economic development of all States and to safeguard international security, and that international cooperation in the use of science and technology through the transfer and exchange of technological know-how for peaceful purposes should be promoted.

The Assembly would also request the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States on his most recent report on the subject and make recommendations on the possible approaches to multilaterally negotiated, universally acceptable, non-discriminatory guidelines for international transfers of dual-use goods and technologies and high technologies with military applications, in a report to the Assembly no later than its fifty- fourth session.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Bangladesh, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guyana, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Libya, Malaysia, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Viet Nam.

Under a draft resolution sponsored by the Russian Federation on information and telecommunications developments in the context of international security (document A/C.1/53/L.17), the Assembly would call upon Member States to promote, at multilateral levels, the consideration of existing and potential threats in the field of information security.

The Assembly would invite Member States to inform the Secretary-General of their views on the following questions: general appreciation of the information security issues; the definition of basic notions related to information security, including the unauthorized interference with or misuse of information and telecommunications systems and information resources; and the advisability of developing international legal regimes to secure global information and telecommunications systems and combat information terrorism and criminality. The Assembly would request the Secretary-General to report to it at its next session, and decide to include the item in its provisional agenda.

A draft resolution on consolidation of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco) (document A/C.1/53/L.19) would have the Assembly urge the countries of the region that had not yet done so to ratify the Treaty. The Assembly would welcome the concrete steps taken by some countries of the region during the past year to consolidate the regime of military denuclearization established by the Treaty, and it would decide to include that item in the provisional agenda of its next session.

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The draft resolution is sponsored by Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.

According to a draft resolution on the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indiscriminate Effects (Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons) (document A/C.1/53/L.20), the Assembly would urgently call upon all States that had not yet done so to become parties, as soon as possible, to the Convention and its Protocols, particularly to the Amended Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II), with a view to achieving its widest possible adherence at an early date.

The Assembly would also call on all High Contracting Parties to the Convention that had not yet done so to express their consensus to be bound by Protocol II. It would call upon successor States to take appropriate measures to ensure universal adherence to those instruments.

By further terms, it would request the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary of that Protocol, to convene in 1999 the first annual conference of High Contracting Parties to the Protocol and call upon them to attend and to invite governmental experts and interested non-governmental organizations, in particular the International Committee of the Red Cross. The Assembly would also express satisfaction that the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol IV) had entered into force on 30 July, and commend all States, in particular, all High Contracting Parties to the Convention that had not yet done so, to express their consent to be bound also by that Protocol.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mongolia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Togo, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.

A draft resolution on negative assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States (document A/C.1/53/L.36) would have the Assembly appeal to all States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to work actively towards an early agreement on a common approach and, in particular, on a common formula that could be included in an international instrument of a legally binding character. It would recommend that further intensive efforts be devoted to the search for such a common approach or common formula and that the various alternative approaches, including, in particular, those considered in the

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Conference on Disarmament, should be further explored in order to overcome the difficulties.

The Assembly would also recommend that the Conference should actively continue intensive negotiations with a view to reaching early agreement and concluding effective international arrangements to assure the non-nuclear weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons, taking into account the widespread support for the conclusion of an international convention and giving consideration to any other proposals designed to secure that objective. It would decide to include, at its fifty-fourth session, an item on the conclusion of effective international arrangements.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Bangladesh, Colombia, Cuba, Egypt, Guatemala, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan and Viet Nam.

A text on a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere (document A/C.1/53/L.37) would have the Assembly call upon the States parties and signatories to the Treaty of Tlatelolco, South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga), Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Bangkok Treaty) and Africa Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba), in order to pursue the common goals those envisaged and to promote the nuclear-weapon-free status of the southern hemisphere and adjacent areas, to explore and implement further means of cooperation among themselves and their treaty agencies.

The Assembly would also call for the ratification of those Treaties by all regional States and for all concerned States to facilitate adherence to the protocols to nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties by all relevant States that had not yet done so.

The Assembly would welcome the steps taken to conclude further nuclear- weapon-free zone treaties on the basis of arrangements freely arrived at among the States of the region concerned and call upon all States to consider all relevant proposals, including those reflected in its resolutions on the establishment of nuclear-weapon-free zones in the Middle East and South Asia. It would reiterate the important role of nuclear-weapon-free zones in strengthening the nuclear non-proliferation regime and in extending the nuclear-weapon-free areas of the world.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Benin, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gabon, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Mozambique, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Samoa, Solomon Islands, South

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Africa, Suriname, Thailand, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

A draft resolution on prevention of an arms race in outer space (document A/C.1/53/L.40) would have the Assembly call upon all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the peaceful use of outer space and to the prevention of an outer space arms race, and to refrain from actions contrary to that objective and to the relevant existing treaties.

The Assembly would reaffirm the importance and urgency of preventing such an arms race, and the readiness of all States to contribute to that common objective, in conformity with the provisions of the treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies. The Assembly would emphasize the necessity of further measures with effective verification provisions to prevent an arms race in outer space.

It would also reaffirm its recognition of the following: that the legal regime applicable to outer space by itself did not guarantee the prevention of an arms race in outer space; that it played a significant role in the prevention of an outer space arms race; that there was a need to consolidate and reinforce that regime and enhance its effectiveness; and that it was important to strictly comply with existing agreements, both bilateral and multilateral.

By further terms, the Assembly would reiterate the primary role of the Conference on Disarmament in negotiating a multilateral agreement or agreements on the prevention of an outer space arms race, and urge States conducting activities in outer space, as well as States interested in conducting such activities, to inform the Conference of the progress of bilateral or multilateral negotiations on the matter. The Conference would be invited to re-establish the relevant ad hoc committee during its 1999 session.

The draft resolution is sponsored by Chile, China, Cuba, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Sri Lanka and Sudan.

Introduction of Texts

SAVITRI KUNADI (India) introduced the draft resolution on the role of science and technology in the context of international security (document A/C.1/53/L.15). The draft, which India had traditionally sponsored, addressed an issue of importance to the international community and, in particular, to the developing world. The growth of science and technology offered immense possibilities for development, but at the same time, there was the need to recognize that several of those advances had military applications.

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She said that several years after the end of the cold war, military research and development remained a high priority in several countries. There was a continuing demand generated by the military doctrines of major Powers for ever more advanced applications of science and technology for military purposes. Access to scientific and technological advances for developmental purposes had remained a priority issue for developing countries. In fact, such access was often an impetus for economic growth and could positively affect the world economy as a whole.

At the same time, she said that the developing world had to pay a developmental cost in view of the persistence of discriminatory control regimes, which were no more than exclusive groupings of countries that limited the exchanges of such technologies among themselves, while denying access to others that might require them for development. Those regimes were often commercial and economic barriers to normal trade and impeded the growth of an interdependent global economy. Questions had also been raised about whether such regimes had been truly effective in strengthening the international non- proliferation regime.

Flows of dual-use and high technology should be regulated by multilaterally negotiated, universally applicable, non-discriminatory guidelines, she said. At same time, such guidelines for the transfer of high technology with military applications should take into account the legitimate defence requirements of all States.

AKIRA HAYASHI (Japan), in introducing the draft resolution on small arms (document A/C.1/53/L.13), said since his country's introduction of a text on the same issue three years ago, the awareness of Member States and non- governmental organizations concerning the problem posed by those weapons had grown remarkably. There were now many initiatives and activities designed to tackle the problem. This year's draft was conceived to further promote such initiatives.

He said that last year's report of the panel of governmental experts on the problem made some important recommendations, including those related to the convening of an international conference on the illicit arms trade in all its aspects. Without prejudice to that report, the draft resolution he introduced recommended the convening of a conference not later than the year 2001.

In addition, he said the draft resolution requested the Secretary- General to submit to next year's General Assembly a report of the views of Member States on the date, objective, scope and agenda of a conference. The report would also consider the Secretary-General's report of last year, as well as a new report expected next year from the group of governmental experts on small arms. The co-sponsors and supporters of the draft resolution hoped that the United Nations would adopt it, to demonstrate its genuine concern and determination to tackle the small arms scourge.

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NASSER ABDULAZIZ AL-NASSIR (Qatar), stressed the urgency of realizing the proposals to make the Middle East a nuclear-weapon-free zone. That had been the goal of all Arab countries. The obstacle to that goal continued to be Israel's lack of cooperation. Israel was the only regional country capable of producing nuclear weapons. Yet, it remained the only one that refused to join the treaties relating to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. To allow that situation to continue would increase the tension in the region. It was, therefore, urgent that measures be taken to prevent an arms race in the region.

Continuing, he said that the establishment of such a zone in the Middle East would strengthen peace and security in the area. The proposals for the zone had received the overwhelming support of the General Assembly. He, therefore, requested all parties concerned to adopt the necessary measures to make the zone a reality. The desire of the regional States for the establishment of that zone was in conformity with the final document of the first special session of the Assembly devoted to disarmament.

HENRIQUE VALLE (Brazil) introduced the draft resolution on a nuclear- weapon-free southern hemisphere (document A/C.1/53/L.37). He said it was the third consecutive year that his country had presented the draft and it was pleased by the increased support it had received. The current text was basically the same as last year's draft, except for two important changes. In the last preambular paragraph, the phrase "the freedom of the high seas, a principle enshrined in that United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, had been included. In that same paragraph, the word "under" was replaced by the words "those of" after "including".

The last preambular paragraph now reads, as follows:

"Recalling further the applicable principles and rules of international law relating to the freedom of the high seas and the rights of passage through maritime space, including those of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea."

He said that the word "entire" had been deleted from the first operative paragraph of last year's text. Those changes sought to accommodate concerns related to the rights of navigation and passage through maritime space. Once again, he would convey his Government's gratitude for the flexibility and cooperation demonstrated in the negotiations on the text.

One of the most significant developments of the last decades was that, in several parts of the world, the nuclear option had been ruled out, he said. The areas of application of the regional treaties, with the addition of the Antarctic Treaty, had contributed to freeing the southern hemisphere, as well as the adjacent areas north of the equator where those treaties applied, from nuclear weapons. Those States, in close consultation with their neighbours,

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had renounced the acquisition of nuclear weapons and had accepted stringent verification commitments to that effect.

The initiative aimed at achieving recognition by the Assembly for the third consecutive year, of the progressive emergence of a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas, he said. Such recognition should be considered as a confirmation of the commitments of the international community towards non-proliferation and disarmament. The draft neither created new legal obligations, nor contradicted any international norm applicable to ocean space.

HERNAN TEJEIRA (Panama), spoke on behalf of the Rio Group on the draft resolution on a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere. He said the draft sought to underscore that important initiative in the area of nuclear disarmament for the third consecutive year. It had been submitted by States members of existing nuclear-weapon-free zones and had the support of the vast majority of States.

The proposal was first considered at the fifty-first General Assembly session, he said. The members of the existing nuclear-weapon-free zone treaties had joined in prohibiting nuclear weapons in the southern hemisphere and in the major adjacent areas in the northern hemisphere. The initiative, which was repeated in the following session, earned further support. It had been modified last year to ensure its consistence with the disarmament and non-proliferation commitments and was adopted by almost all Member States.

He said that its submission at the current session took on even greater significance given the recent nuclear testing in South Asia. Its focus was the same. It did not create any new obligations, but simply recognized the regional prohibition of nuclear weapons, which was the wish of vast regions of the world. Those countries did not want or need nuclear weapons.

VASILY SIDOROV (Russian Federation) introduced the draft resolution on information and telecommunications developments in the context of international security (document A/C.1/53/L.17). He said the text drew attention to that important question of information security, which was acquiring special significance in view of the global scientific and technological revolution, especially in telecommunications.

The final text was different from the original, as a result of consultations, he said. The preambular section reflected the considerable progress made in the use of new information technology and its impact on future development. At the same time, it expressed concern that those technologies could be used for purposes that were incompatible with international peace and security. The operative portion called upon all States to inform the Secretary-General of their views on the issue.

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JOHAN NORDENFELT (Sweden) introduced the revised draft resolution on the 1980 Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons (document A/C.1/53/L.20/Rev.1). The revision concerned the fourth operative paragraph, which now reads as follows: "Calls upon High Contracting Parties to the Protocol to attend the first annual conference, and notes that the parties, under provisions to be adopted in accordance with paragraph two of article 13, may decide to invite representatives of States not party to the Protocol, and of the International Committee of the Red Cross." Also, he said, Fiji was added as a co-sponsor.

He said that the Convention and its protocols constituted an essential and integral part of international law applicable in armed conflict. Their purpose was to place constraints on the conduct of war by restricting the use of certain conventional weapons. When fully implemented, the rules contained in the protocols would sharply limit or eliminate the risks to civilians and non-combatants. Lives would be saved and suffering significantly reduced.

Continuing, he said the Convention offered a framework for global negotiations to gradually refine or expand the areas it covered. In 1995 to 1996, the High Contracting Parties convened an amendment conference to seek agreements on further restrictions. That conference was able to considerably strengthen Protocol II and adopted the new Protocol on laser weapons. It was important that the process of strengthening the Convention continued. He agreed with the idea of convening another review conference not later than 2001, which would offer renewed opportunities to consider means of consolidating the Convention and of protecting both combatants and civilians from unnecessary suffering.

It was heartening that 31 countries had consented to be bound by the Protocol on blinding laser weapons, which entered into force on 30 July 1998, he said. It was also encouraging that there were now up to 26 countries consenting to be bound by Protocol II on mines, booby traps and related devices, expected to enter into force on 3 December 1998. The draft resolution he introduced reflected those positive developments and intended to promote the further universalization of that Convention. On behalf of the co-sponsors, he hoped that it would be adopted by consensus.

SOCORRO ROVIROSA (Mexico), while introducing the draft resolution on the consolidation of the Treaty of Tlatelolco (document A/C.1/53/L.19), said the co-sponsors placed a priority on consolidating that agreement. The prognosis was good in that regard, following the accession of two other regional States.

She added that the draft welcomed the specific measures of various regional States towards the consolidation of the Treaty. Her Government appealed to those regional countries yet to deposit their instruments of ratification to do so. She hoped that the draft, which had been endorsed by the signatories of the Treaty, would be adopted by consensus.

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IAN SOUTAR (United Kingdom) expressed his delegation's full support for cooperating in the existing nuclear-weapon-free zones. Against that background, he had consulted closely on the draft just introduced on a nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere. His delegation had consulted closely with the co-sponsors in an effort to enable it to achieve consensus. Despite some substantial and welcome improvements, however, key concerns remained. He would welcome further constructive efforts to address those concerns, without which the draft still risked repeating its performance of the last two years.

He said his delegations's fundamental concern, as well as that of the United States and France, had not been addressed. That led to the possibility of a joint explanation of vote following a negative vote by those countries. In order to avert that, he sought clarification. Was it the intention of the draft to create a new zone, which would cover international waters? he asked. If so, how would that be consistent with the maritime rights of free passage, as enshrined in the Convention on the Law of Sea? If not, then what would the draft resolution add to the status of existing zones that already covered all the land of the southern hemisphere, except for a few small islands? His delegation had been seeking "an unambiguous response" to the question since the draft first appeared.

THYMEN A. KOUWENAAR (Netherlands) spoke in support of the draft resolution on the Convention on Certain Conventional weapons, introduced by Sweden. He said the Convention and its protocols had special significance in international law, as it applied to the conduct of conflicts. As a whole, the Convention and its protocols would reduce the suffering of both combatants and non-combatants.

He firmly believed that the military elements in a conflict should be placed parallel to the humanitarian elements, in order to prevent unnecessary suffering, he added. It was, therefore, essential that all related provisions be codified by law. He urged those countries that had not yet done so to become parties to the Convention. His Government would fully accede to the Convention early next year. He added that the process of further strengthening the Convention should continue and he hoped that the draft resolution would be adopted without a vote.

MUNIR AKRAM (Pakistan) introduced the draft resolution on negative assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States (document A/C.1/53/L.36). He said that the need for security assurances in the nuclear world had arisen from the United Nations Charter, which had clearly stipulated that States undertake not to use or threaten to use force. The provision concerning the use of force logically applied also to the non-use and threat of use of nuclear weapons. All States which retained those weapons must be bound by those provisions, as an obligation and not a favour.

He said that the direction in which the world had moved since then had highlighted the inadequate provision of security assurances. The demand for

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such assurances had emerged during the 1960s and was crystallized at a 1968 conference of non-nuclear-weapon States. Subsequently, the need for security assurances had received a partial endorsement by the Security Council and had been called for in the final document of the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament.

Despite a lapse of nearly 20 years, the Conference on Disarmament had been unable to conclude an international agreement. During the cold war it could not produce a common formula, and four of the five nuclear Powers had offered only partial and restricted assurances. All of those had excluded the non-nuclear-weapon States that were not parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Only China had offered unconditional and unrestricted assurances. The end of the cold war should have dissipated the reliance on mutual nuclear deterrence.

Presently, however, the indefinite extension of the NPT had allowed some countries to retain nuclear weapons in perpetuity, he went on. The commitments of nuclear-weapon States under article VI of the NPT, while reaffirmed, lacked any indication of a time-frame for their conclusion. The emergence of new nuclear deterrence doctrines had stipulated that the use or threat of use of weapons was legitimate when threatened by other weapons of mass destruction. That doctrine, which had not existed prior to 1968, was contrary to international commitments, as well as to the entire concept of security assurances.

Furthermore, he said that the membership of nuclear security alliances had been expanded following the indefinite expansion of the NPT. Now, more States were covered by the so-called "nuclear umbrella", and all were committed to the first use of nuclear weapons. The military forces of those countries had all been trained in the use of nuclear weapons and would be provided with those weapons for possible use. The number of those States and the geographical area of first-use had been enlarged. Moreover, some nuclear-weapon States formerly committed to non-first use of nuclear weapons had retreated from that posture.

Two non-nuclear-weapon States had recently demonstrated their nuclear capability, he said. One of them had claimed nuclear-weapon status, but that was still a question. Another question was whether those States were entitled to receive or give security assurances and should those assurances be different in nature from the "NPT bargain", to which they did not belong. Should the one State -- presumed to be nuclear and also not a party to the NPT -- be a recipient or a provider of security assurances, or something else entirely? he asked.

Under those circumstances, those non-nuclear-weapon States that did not benefit from those extended nuclear alliances, in particular, the Non-Aligned Movement, were justified in being gravely concerned at the continued existence

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and threat of nuclear weapons. Their demand for binding security assurances was not only legitimate, it had gained special urgency.

ISMAIL KHAIRAT (Egypt), introducing the draft resolution on the prevention of a nuclear arms race in outer space (document A/C.1/53/L.40), said the draft did not oppose the use of outer space. The text supported that, in principle, but was designed to stress that States wishing to use or to explore outer space should ensure transparency in their activities. The main point of the draft was to underline the peaceful use of space by all concerned States. In that regard, the spectre of an arms race in that sphere must be eliminated. It was important for all States to contribute towards that end, especially those advanced in space exploration.

Last year's resolution on the same issue had received 127 votes in favour, with none against. He hoped this year's draft would be adopted unanimously.

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