Sending 24 Resolutions, Decisions to General Assembly, First Committee Tackles Range of Nuclear Concerns, including New Atomic-Bomb-Free Zone in Middle East

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today approved 21 draft resolutions and 3 draft decisions, many by record vote, related to nuclear disarmament, including ones calling for the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East.

By a recorded vote of 174 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, United Kingdom, Zambia), the Committee approved the draft resolution “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East” (document A/C.1/71/L.1).

This text would have the General Assembly urge all parties directly concerned to seriously consider taking the practical and urgent steps required for the implementation of the proposal to establish such a zone.

By a vote of 103 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Micronesia, United States), with 71 abstentions, the Committee approved the draft decision “Convening a Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction” (document A/C.1/73/L.22/Rev.1).

By the text, the Assembly would entrust to the Secretary-General the convening, no later than June 2019, of a conference on establishing such a zone, to which all States of the Middle East, the three co-sponsors of the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, the other two nuclear-weapon States and the relevant international organizations will be invited.  Also by the text, the General Assembly would have the conference take as its terms of reference the 1995 resolution and that all decisions emanating from the conference shall be taken by consensus by the States of the region.

By a vote of 158 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, United States), the Committee approved the draft resolution “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” (document A/C.1/73/L.2).

After voting on separate operative and preambular paragraphs, the Committee also approved, by a vote of 160 in favour to 4 against (China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Syria), with 24 abstentions, the draft resolution on “United action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.54).

By that text, the Assembly would renew the determination of all States to take united action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons through the easing of international tension and the strengthening of trust between States as envisioned in the preamble to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote on almost one third of the draft resolution’s operative paragraphs.

Many delegates explained their positions, with New Zealand’s representative saying “L.54” underestimates contributions made by the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Test-Ban Treaty.  Meanwhile, the United States delegate said his delegation will abstain because the new draft text reflects a step back to language from a different time and a different security environment than the world currently faces.

In explaining his delegation’s support for “L.54” as a whole, the representative of the Philippines said his country did not co-sponsor the draft resolution, as the text did not strongly articulate compliance with various instruments as a matter of the highest priority, particularly in the context of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  States possessing nuclear weapons must uphold their end of the “grand bargain”, he said.

In addition, the Committee also approved, by recorded vote of 122 in favour to none against, with 65 abstentions, the draft resolution “Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.4).

The Committee also approved the following draft resolutions:  “Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament” (document A/C.1/73/L.14); “Mongolia’s international security and nuclear-weapon-free status” (document A/C.1/73/L.19);  “Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.23); “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.24); and “The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation” (document A/C.1/73/L.25).

Also forwarded to the General Assembly were the draft resolutions “Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty” (document A/C.1/73/L.26); “Nuclear disarmament” (document A/C.1/73/L.28); “African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty” (document A/C.1/73/L.33); “Reducing nuclear danger” (document A/C.1/73/L.43), “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.44); “Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-World” (document A/C.1/73/L.46); “Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia” (document A/C.1/73/L.48); “Decreasing the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems” (document A/C.1/73/L.52); “United action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.54); “Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.57/Rev.1); “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices” (document A/C.1/73/L.58); “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world” (document A/C.1/73/L.62); and “Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world:  accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments” (document A/C.1/73/L.64).

The Committee also approved the draft decisions “Missiles” (document A/C.1/73/L.10) and “Nuclear Disarmament Verification” (document A/C.1/73/L.31).

The Committee postponed action on the draft resolution “Fourth Conference of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Mongolia, 2020” (document A/C.1/73/L.66).

The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. Friday, 2 November, to take action on the draft resolutions and decisions under the “other weapons of mass destruction” cluster.

Background

The First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) met this afternoon to take action on all draft resolutions and decisions before it.  For background, see Press Release GA/DIS/3597 of 8 October.

Statements

The representative of France, speaking on behalf of several countries, said that as nuclear-weapon States party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the five countries pursue a gradual approach based on the principles of maintaining undiminished security of all.  Yet, the goal of achieving a world without nuclear weapons can only be attained by ending the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons.  He expressed support for a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices with the participation of all relevant countries.  The appropriate venue to negotiate such an instrument is the Conference on Disarmament.  At the same time, he welcomed related reports adopted by the Group of Governmental Experts in 2015 and the High-level Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty Expert Preparatory Group in 2018, emphasizing that all five countries support draft resolution “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices” (document A/C.1/73/L.58).

The representative of the Russian Federation said, as a matter of procedure, that his counterparts from the United States have tried to undermine their partners in dialogue with a message regarding issuing visas to Russian nationals.  The United States has been denying a visa to a key figure in the Russian delegation for the past five weeks.  As the United Nations host country, the United States should unreservedly grant visas to all representatives of States, yet, in practice, this is flagrantly being violated.  The Government of the United States is cutting off access to the United Nations to delegations who do not share its views, he said, calling upon Washington, D.C. to issue a visa to a Russian diplomat who is responsible for the work of the Committee.  He then urged Member States to “vote as your conscious tells you”.

The representative of Egypt said threats to international peace and security have reached an unprecedented level not seen since the cold war era.  Serious breaches of international treaties continue to accumulate.  As such, relying on nuclear deterrence cannot be a sustainable option as it is costly, risky and opposed to the collective system the United Nations provides.  Indeed, the world stands at a crossroads and has a choice on whether to stand waiting idly for a catastrophe to occur or to act.  With each vote, delegates have a choice and must ask whether nuclear weapons are consistent with human values and international humanitarian law.  The three resolutions put forth by his delegation are no exception.  Peace and security in the Middle East cannot be achieved through deterrence.  Only through dialogue can collaborative security be achieved.  Indeed, a nuclear-weapon-free zone could have saved the Middle East from the actual use of weapons of mass destruction experienced in the region.  At the same time, there is a gravely-alarming arms race taking place in the region and Member States cannot sit idly by with their hands tied.  Condemning attempts to undermine a consensus on the draft resolution “Convening a Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction” (document A/C.1/73/L.22/Rev.1), he pointed out that the draft has enjoyed consensus for years.  Changing this trend only undermines the role of multilateral diplomacy and the objectives of the United Nations.

The representative of the European Union reaffirmed its support for the establishment of a zone free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction in the Middle East.  It considers the 1995 resolution valid until its goals and objectives are achieved and strongly supports the outcome of the 2010 Non‑Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.  Dialogue and confidence building among stakeholders are the only sustainable ways to agree on arrangements for a meaningful conference to be attended by all States of the Middle East.  The European Union stands ready to assist in the process leading to the establishment of such a zone.  He called upon all States in the region to abide by the Non-Proliferation Treaty, Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, and to sign and ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear‑Test-Ban Treaty, subscribe to The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation and to conclude comprehensive safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The representative of Austria introduced the draft resolution “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.24), which would have the General Assembly welcome the adoption of the instrument on 7 July 2017 and call upon all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.  The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons enjoyed ratifications of States faster than any other weapons of mass destruction treaties, she said, adding that the status quo is not acceptable.  It also complements the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  Her delegation is concerned about a trend of creating new conditions for disarmament.

She also tabled the draft resolution “Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.23), by which the Assembly would stress that it is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons never be used again, and emphasize that the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons will never be used again is their total elimination.  The annual resolution has only technical updates.

The representative of Canada then introduced the draft resolution “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices” (document A/C.1/73/L.58), by which the Assembly would urge the Conference on Disarmament to agree on and implement at its earliest opportunity a programme of work that includes the immediate commencement of negotiations on a treaty on the basis of document CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein.

The representative of Kazakhstan introduced the draft resolution on “Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world:  accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments” (document A/C.1/73/L.64), by which the Assembly would call upon nuclear-weapon States to fulfil their commitment to undertaking further efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and non-deployed, including through unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral measures.

The representative of Indonesia, on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, tabled the draft resolution “Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament” (document A/C.1/73/L.14), by which the Assembly would call for the urgent commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on effective nuclear disarmament measures to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons.  It would also decide to convene, in New York, a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament to review the progress made in this regard.

The representative of Mongolia introduced the draft resolution “Mongolia’s international security and nuclear-weapon-free status” (document A/C.1/73/L.19), by which the Assembly would invite Member States to continue to cooperate with Mongolia in taking the measures necessary to consolidate and strengthen Mongolia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the inviolability of its borders, its independent foreign policy, its economic security and its ecological balance, as well as its nuclear-weapon-free status.

Action on Draft Texts

The representative of the Russian Federation, explaining his delegation’s position before the vote, said Moscow is concerned by the United States announcement that it intends to accumulate its own nuclear weapons arsenal in direct violation of article 6 of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, formally known as the Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles.  Furthermore, these actions will seriously harm the entire disarmament process.  The United States delegation has taken every step possible to block consideration of this question in the Committee.  The United States went around the Committee chamber and “practically grabbed people by the throats” to block consideration of the Russian Federation’s proposal, he said.  As far back as 2000, the Russian Federation flagged that the United States was testing intermediate-range missiles and violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty by subsequently using drones and deploying in Europe MK‑41 launch systems for missiles equipped with nuclear warheads.  Meanwhile, the Russian Federation was working on the universalization of its obligations to the Treaty.  He called upon the United States to remain in the agreement and urged all States to convey the harmful nature of withdrawing from the Treaty.  Concerning draft decision “L.22/Rev.1”, he said his delegation would support this initiative and has undertaken efforts to organize such a conference.  In fact, this was an obligation the United States signed on to in 1995 and now it is trying to force others to oppose it.

The representative of the United Kingdom, also speaking on behalf of France and the United States, addressed drafts “L.23” and the draft resolution “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world” (document A/C.1/73/L.62), saying concerns about nuclear weapons are not new.  However, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons makes consensus difficult to reach and creates conditions for a less secure world.  It fails to account for security conditions involved in nuclear disarmament.  Turning to “L.24”, he said the best way to achieve nuclear disarmament is through a gradual process that seeks to improve the international security environment.  Indeed, such an approach has worked in the past.  However, the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons fails to consider key issues that must be addressed to achieve nuclear disarmament.  Moreover, the instrument does nothing to increase trust and improve transparency among States and creates divisions across the disarmament machinery, making further progress difficult.  Instead, he urged States to recommit to the provisions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The representative of Austria said her delegation will abstain from a vote on the draft resolution “United action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.54) as it did in 2017 because of some newly introduced changes.  Her delegation regrets that sponsors of the draft did not return to the language in the 2016 version, which adhered to the agreed language in the Non-Proliferation Treaty, she said, emphasizing that Austria cannot accept “conditionality” in operative paragraph 3.

The representative of Egypt said his delegation cannot support the draft resolution “The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation” (document A/C.1/73/L.25).  The Hague Code of Conduct was adopted outside the United Nations, is voluntary and unbalanced and does not address advanced means of delivery, such as cruise missiles.  The draft resolution’s language also restricts the rights of States to use outer space for peaceful purposes.  His delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution “Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty” (document A/C.1/73/L.26) as a whole.  However, preambular paragraphs 4 and 7 contain elements his delegation does not subscribe to.  As for “L.58”, multiple preconditions were introduced by certain nuclear-weapon States and this would expand imbalances in obligations between nuclear-weapon States and nuclear-weapon-free States.  In addition, the draft fails to address existing stockpiles.

The representative of France disassociated his delegation from the following draft resolutions:  “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East” (document A/C.1/71/L.1); “Promotion of multilateralism in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation” (document A/C.1/73/L.15), “Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region” (document A/C.1/73/L.30) “Reducing nuclear danger” (document A/C.1/73/L.43) and “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.44).

The representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that his delegation will vote against “L.26” regarding the Test-Ban Treaty.  While Pyongyang has taken steps to discontinue its nuclear tests, constituting a step towards global nuclear disarmament, the sponsors of “L.26” have taken a confrontational position.  His delegation reached out to a co-sponsor, who was small minded and was unwilling to engage, he said, expressing regret that his delegation could not reach an agreement with the co-sponsors of the draft.  On “L.54”, he emphasized that the draft contains several paragraphs that distort several elements of the United States-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea statement.  The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has committed itself to joint efforts to build lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula and build new bilateral relationships.  Japan has no moral standing to interfere in this issue, as the country inflicted suffering on several countries in the region.  Japan is a war criminal State that rushes into militarism and is now changing its position.  Indeed, Japan has accumulated 40 tonnes of plutonium and is ready to manufacture nuclear weapons, he said, adding that Tokyo has no say in the issue of the Korean Peninsula and should not interfere.  Instead, Japan should repent against its own crimes against humanity and not forget the disgrace bestowed upon it 70 years ago.

The representative of the United States explained his delegation’s position on several draft texts.  While having joined consensus on “L.1” in the past, it would cast an abstention, even though the United States continue to support its overarching goals of establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and of including in the draft provisions on a need for confidence-building and direct dialogue to resolve key issues.  The United States also cannot support the unconstructive efforts to advance “L.22/Rev.1”, which would abandon consensus in favour of divisive approaches to convene a conference on establishing such a zone that will jeopardize any prospects for dialogue between States in the Middle East on security issues.  His delegation will also vote against the draft resolution “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” (document A/C.1/73/L.2), as the document is politically motivated to single out one country in good standing.  Such resolutions serve to drive a wedge between States and undermine regional confidence.  Similar, the United States will vote against preambular paragraphs 5 and 6.  Turning to the draft decision on “Missiles” (document A/C.1/73/L.10), he said the United States has traditionally not acted on this draft, but given Iran’s troubled history on this subject, he expressed disappointment that States would make a common cause with Tehran over what is a hypocritical draft text.  The United States will also vote against “L.22/Rev.1”, he said, expressing disappointment that Arab States have gone forward with this initiative, which is misguided and counterproductive to the very goals it purports to advance.  All modalities to negotiate a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East cannot be imposed from the outside.  Any conference would be resource-intensive and based on an arbitrary timeline.  The draft resolution is an attempt to score cheap political points at the expense of others in the region.  At an estimated $100 million a year, his delegation will not attend or contribute any resources to support it.  Meanwhile, despite previously co-sponsoring draft resolution on united action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, the United States will cast an abstention on “L.54” because the new draft text reflects a step back to language from a different time and a different security environment than the world currently faces.

The representative of Pakistan said his delegation will vote in favour of “L.2” as a whole, but will vote against preambular paragraphs 5 and 6, as his country is not a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  His delegation will vote in favour of “L.22/Rev.1”, will abstain from “L.23” and “L.62”, and will vote against “L.24”.  Pakistan will vote in favour of “L.26” as a whole, and will vote for preambular paragraph 4 and cast an abstention on preambular paragraph 7.

The representative of Brazil said his delegation will abstain from voting on “L.54”, as the draft resolution contains no reference to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The representative of New Zealand said his delegation will not be able to vote in favour of “L.54”, as the draft resolution underestimates contributions made by the Non-Proliferation Treaty and the Test-Ban Treaty.

The representative of Nicaragua said his delegation will withdraw from co-sponsoring the draft resolution on “Fourth Conference of Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Mongolia, 2020” (document A/C.1/73/L.66) because of changes introduced.

The representative of the Philippines said his delegation supports “L.54” as a whole, but did not co-sponsor the draft resolution, as the text did not strongly articulate compliance with various instruments as a matter of the highest priority, particularly in the context of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  States possessing nuclear weapons must uphold their end of the “grand bargain”, he said, emphasizing the need to uphold the humanitarian imperative that finds nuclear weapons a colossal threat to humankind.  Meanwhile, as a co-sponsor of “L.19”, the Philippines recognizes Mongolia’s declaration of its territory a nuclear-weapon-free zone, the first State to do so.  Similarly, his delegation will vote in favour of “L.22/Rev.1”, as a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East is consistent with the goal of a world free of those armaments.  Nevertheless, his delegation opposes the use of “L.22/Rev.1” as a platform to question any Middle Eastern country’s sovereign decision to abide by the draft resolution.

The representative of Iran said his delegation will vote in favour of “L.24”, as its adoption is a step forward in the right direction and Iran supports the overall objective of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.  His delegation will also vote in favour of “L.26”, he said, noting that nuclear-weapon States, especially the United States, are upgrading and modernizing their weapons systems with new technologies and undermining the Test-Ban Treaty.  Iran is disappointed that there was no call in the draft for nuclear-weapon States to refrain from such measures.  Meanwhile, Iran will cast an abstention on preambular paragraph 4 and disassociates itself from references to the related Security Council resolution.  The Security Council’s involvement in proceedings of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization process is not justified, he said, also expressing concerns about the non-inclusive process involved in updating the resolution.  On “L.58”, he said any instrument that aims to ban the production of fissile material should be comprehensive and non-discriminatory.  Further, it must provide for the verifiable destruction of all stocks within a fixed timeframe and should oblige nuclear-weapon States to completely end the production of fissile material.  However, Iran will abstain from voting on “L.58”, as the draft resolution does not advocate for an instrument capable of addressing these issues and represents a limited mandate in an old document no longer relevant to today’s realities.

The representative of Canada, referring to “L.22/Rev.1”, said her delegation supports the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and initiatives toward that end.  However, any conference on the matter needs all States to be present and must reflect a process that is inclusive and freely arrived at.  The proposed conference falls short of that and unduly brings in the Secretary-General.  Moreover, it does not consider real security concerns in the region.  Turning to “L.54”, she said her delegation supports a pragmatic and inclusive approach to nuclear disarmament with cooperation between nuclear and non-nuclear-weapon States that includes confidence-building measures.  However, Canada is not in a position to support “L.54” because parts of the draft resolution have approached solutions in a simplistic way.  She encouraged future versions to emphasize the importance of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.  On “L.14”, she said that while Canada fully participated in the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on disarmament, her delegation remains concerned that the draft resolution does not encompass the full range of proposals put forth during the meeting.

The Committee took up the draft resolution “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East” (document A/C.1/71/L.1), which would have the Assembly urge all parties directly concerned to consider taking the practical and urgent steps required for the implementation of the proposal to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East and invites the countries concerned to adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

By a recorded vote of 174 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 5 abstentions (Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Fiji, United Kingdom, Zambia), the Committee approved the draft.

The Committee then considered the draft resolution “The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East” (document A/C.1/73/L.2), which would have the Assembly reiterate that the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty remains valid until its goals are achieved.  The Assembly would also call for immediate steps towards the full implementation of this resolution.  The Assembly would reaffirm the importance of Israel’s accession to the non-Proliferation Treaty and placement of all its nuclear facilities under comprehensive IAEA safeguards, and call upon that State to accede to the Treaty without further delay.

Prior to approving that draft text, as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraphs 5 and 6.

By a recorded vote of 170 in favour to 4 against (Canada, India, Israel, Pakistan), with 4 abstentions (Bhutan, France, Georgia, United States), the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 5, which would have the Assembly emphasize the need for appropriate measures on the question of the prohibition of military attacks on nuclear facilities.

By a recorded vote of 171 in favour to 3 against (India, Israel, Pakistan), with 5 abstentions (Bhutan, France, Georgia, Kiribati, United States), the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 6, which would have the Assembly bear in mind the consensus reached by the General Assembly since its thirty-fifth session that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East would greatly enhance international peace and security.

Taking up the draft as a whole, the Committee approved it by a vote of 158 in favour to 5 against (Canada, Israel, Micronesia, Palau, United States), with 21 abstentions.

It then turned to the draft resolution “Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.4), which would have the Assembly appeal to all States, especially 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 legally binding instrument.  Also by the text, the Assembly would recommend that the Conference on Disarmament actively continues intensive negotiations with a view to reaching early agreement and concluding effective international agreements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of these armaments.

The Committee approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 122 in favour to none against, with 65 abstentions.

The Committee then took up the draft decision “Missiles” (document A/C.1/73/L.10).  By the text, the Assembly would decide to include the item in the provisional agenda of its seventy-fifth session.

The Committee then approved the decision by a vote of 166 in favour to 2 against (Israel, United States), with 9 abstentions (Australia, Fiji, Haiti, Japan, Kiribati, Liberia, Malawi, Palau, Sierra Leone).

The Committee took action on the draft resolution “Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament” (document A/C.1/73/L.14), by which the Assembly would call for the urgent commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on effective nuclear disarmament measures to achieve the total elimination of nuclear weapons.  The draft resolution would also have the Assembly decide to convene, in New York, a United Nations high-level international conference on nuclear disarmament to review the progress made in this regard.

Prior to approving that draft text, as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraph 12.

By a recorded vote of 129 in favour to 20 against, with 22 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 12, which would have the Assembly note the adoption, with a vote, of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 7 July 2017 at the United Nations conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.

Taking up the draft as a whole, the Committee approved it by a vote of 143 in favour to 27 against, with 14 abstentions.

It then took action on the draft resolution “Mongolia’s international security and nuclear-weapon-free status” (document A/C.1/73/L.19), by which the Assembly would invite Member States to continue to cooperate with Mongolia in taking the measures necessary to consolidate and strengthen Mongolia’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, the inviolability of its borders, its independent foreign policy, its economic security and its ecological balance alongside its nuclear-weapon-free status.  By the draft, the Assembly would appeal to the Member States of the Asia-Pacific region to support Mongolia’s efforts to join the relevant regional security and economic arrangements.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

It then took action on the draft decision “Convening a Conference on the Establishment of a Middle East Zone Free of Nuclear Weapons and other Weapons of Mass Destruction” (document A/C.1/73/L.22/Rev.1).  By the text, the Assembly would entrust to the Secretary-General the convening, no later than June 2019 of a conference on establishing such a zone, to which will be invited all States of the Middle East, the three co-sponsors of the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, the other two nuclear-weapon States and the relevant international organizations.  Also by the text, the General Assembly would have the conference take as its terms of reference the 1995 resolution and that all decisions emanating from the conference shall be taken by consensus by the States of the region.

The Committee then approved the decision as a whole, by a vote of 103 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Micronesia, United States), with 71 abstentions.

The Committee turned to the draft resolution “Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.23), by which the Assembly would stress that it is in the interest of the very survival of humanity that nuclear weapons never be used again, and would emphasize that the only way to guarantee that nuclear weapons will never be used again is their total elimination.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole, by a vote of 143 in favour to 15 against, with 26 abstentions.

The Committee took up the draft resolution “Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.24), which would have the General Assembly welcome the adoption of the instrument on 7 July 2017 and call upon all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify, accept, approve or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole, by a vote of 122 in favour to 41 against, with 16 abstentions.

The Committee then took action on the draft resolution “The Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation” (document A/C.1/73/L.25), by which the Assembly would invite all States that have not yet subscribed to the Code of Conduct, in particular those possessing space launch vehicle and ballistic missile capabilities and those developing corresponding national programmes, to do so, bearing in mind the right to use space for peaceful purposes.

The Committee then approved the draft by a vote of 171 in favour to 1 against (Iran), with 12 abstentions.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution “Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty” (document A/C.1/73/L.26).  By that text, the Assembly would condemn in the strongest terms the six nuclear tests conducted by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea since 2006, in violation of relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, and would urge full compliance with the obligations under these resolutions, including that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea abandon its nuclear weapons programme and not conduct any further nuclear tests.  The Assembly would also note with encouragement the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s statement concerning a moratorium on nuclear tests and efforts towards dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and would reaffirm its support for the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner, including through the Six Party Talks.  Also by the draft, the Assembly would welcome all efforts and dialogue to this end, including the recent inter-Korean Summits, and the United States-Democratic People’s Republic of Korea summit.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held separate recorded votes to retain preambular paragraphs 4 and 7.

By a recorded vote of 169 in favour to none against, with 13 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 4, which would have the Assembly stress the vital importance and urgency of achieving the entry into force of the Test-Ban Treaty, as noted also in Security Council resolution 2310 (2016), and affirm its resolute determination, 22 years after the instrument was opened for signature, to achieve its entry into force.

By a recorded vote of 170 in favour to none against, with 9 abstentions (Burundi, Egypt, India, Israel, Liberia, Mauritius , Pakistan, Syria, United Kingdom), the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 7, which would have the Assembly recall the adoption by consensus of the conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions of the 2010 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, which had reaffirmed the vital importance of the Test-Ban Treaty’s entry into force as a core element of the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime.

Taking up the draft as a whole, the Committee approved it by a vote of 181 in favour to 1 against (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea), with 4 abstentions (India, Mauritius, Syria, United States).

The Committee then considered the draft resolution “Nuclear disarmament” (document A/C.1/73/L.28), which would have the Assembly call upon the nuclear-weapon States to agree on an internationally and legally binding instrument on a joint undertaking not to be the first to use nuclear weapons; and urge nuclear-weapon States to carry out further reductions of non-strategic nuclear weapons, including on unilateral initiatives and as an integral part of the nuclear arms reduction and disarmament process.

Prior to approving that draft text, as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraph 32 and operating paragraph 16.

By a recorded vote of 117 in favour to 37 against, with 19 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 32, which would have the Assembly welcome further the successful adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons on 7 July 2017.

By a recorded vote of 168 in favour to 2 against (Pakistan, Russian Federation), with 8 abstentions (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, France, Israel, Liberia, Marshall Islands, Syria, United Kingdom, United States), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 16, which would have the Assembly call for the immediate commencement of negotiations in the Conference on Disarmament on a non-discriminatory, multilateral and internationally and effectively verifiable treaty.

Taking up the draft as a whole, the Committee approved it by a vote of 120 in favour to 41 against, with 21 abstentions.

The Committee then had before it a draft decision on “Nuclear Disarmament Verification” (document A/C.1/73/L.31), by which the Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-fourth session, under the item “General and complete disarmament”, the sub-item “Nuclear disarmament verification”.

The Committee then approved the draft by a vote of 177 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (Iran, Israel, Syria).

Following that action, the Committee turned to a draft resolution on “African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty” (document A/C.1/73/L.33), by which the Assembly would call upon African States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty as soon as possible.  It would also have the Assembly call upon the African States parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty that have not yet done so to conclude comprehensive IAEA safeguards agreements pursuant to the instrument, thereby satisfying the requirements of article 9 (b) and annex II to the Treaty of Pelindaba.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution “Reducing nuclear danger” (document A/C.1/73/L.43), which would have the Assembly call for a review of nuclear doctrines and, in this context, for immediate and urgent steps to be taken to reduce the risks of unintentional and accidental use of nuclear weapons, including through de-alerting and de-targeting nuclear weapons.  By the text, the Assembly would also request the five nuclear-weapon States to take steps towards the implementation of these measures.

The Committee then approved the draft by a vote of 127 in favour to 49 against, with 10 abstentions.

The Committee then took action on the draft resolution “Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.44), by which the Assembly would reiterate its request to the Conference on Disarmament to commence negotiations to reach agreement on an international convention prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

The Committee then approved the draft by a vote of 120 in favour to 50 against, with 15 abstentions.

The Committee then had before it the draft resolution “Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free-World” (document A/C.1/73/L.46), by which the Assembly would invite States, agencies and organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations to disseminate the Declaration and to promote its implementation.  By the text, the Secretary‑General would be requested to submit a report on the implementation of the Declaration to the General Assembly at its seventy-sixth session.

Prior to approving that draft text, as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraphs 7 and 9.

By a recorded vote of 126 in favour to 21 against, with 26 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 7, which would have the Assembly note the adoption, with a vote, of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, on 7 July 2017 at the United Nations conference to negotiate a legally binding instrument to prohibit nuclear weapons, leading towards their total elimination.

By a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 3 against (France, United Kingdom, United States), with 36 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 9, which would have the Assembly take into account, in this context, the Secretary-General’s disarmament agenda, Securing Our Common Future:  An Agenda for Disarmament, announced in May 2018.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 135 in favour to 21 against, with 27 abstentions.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution “Treaty on a Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone in Central Asia” (document A/C.1/73/L.48), by which the General Assembly would welcome the entry into force on 21 March 2009 of the Treaty, the signing of the Treaty’s Protocol on 6 May 2014 by nuclear-weapon States and its ratification by four of them.  It would also call for early completion of the ratification process.

The Committee then approved the draft without a vote.

Following that action, the Committee turned to the draft resolution “Decreasing the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems” (document A/C.1/73/L.52), by which the Assembly would call for practical and concrete steps to be taken, unilaterally, bilaterally or multilaterally, to decrease the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems, with a view to ensuring that all nuclear weapons are removed from high alert status.  The Assembly would also look forward to the issue of the lowering of the operational readiness of nuclear weapons systems being addressed further during the current review cycle of the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraph 8.

By a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 2 against (Russian Federation, United States), with 10 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 8, which would have the Assembly recall the adoption by consensus of the conclusions and recommendations for follow-on actions by the 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, including the commitments of the nuclear‑weapon States to promptly engage in further reduction of the operational status of nuclear weapons systems in ways that promote international stability and security.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 173 in favour to 4 against (France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States), with 7 abstentions (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Lithuania, Mali, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone).

The Committee then took up a draft resolution on “United action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.54).  By that text, the Assembly would renew the determination of all States to take united action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons through the easing of international tension and the strengthening of trust between States as envisioned in the preamble to the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote on a number of preambular and operative paragraphs.

By a recorded vote of 164 in favour to 3 against (France, South Africa, Russian Federation), with 12 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 19, which would have the Assembly express deep concern at the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons use, and reaffirm the need for all States to comply at all times with applicable international law, including international humanitarian law, while convinced that every effort should be made to avoid the use of nuclear weapons.

By a recorded vote of 170 in favour to 2 against (France, Russian Federation), with 7 abstentions (China, Israel, Liberia, Mali, Pakistan, Philippines, United States), the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 20, by which the Assembly would recognize that the catastrophic humanitarian consequences that would result from the use of nuclear weapons should be fully understood by all and note in this regard that efforts should be made to increase such understanding.

By a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 5 against (Austria, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, South Africa, United States), with 23 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 2, by which the Assembly would reaffirm the unequivocal undertaking of the nuclear-weapon States to fully implement the Non-Proliferation Treaty in all its aspects, including article 6, towards the goal of the total elimination of nuclear weapons.  By that text, the Assembly would also recall the final document of the 2000 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference.

By a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 8 against (Austria, Ireland, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, United States) with 29 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 3, by which the Assembly would call upon all States parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to comply with their obligations under all the articles of the Treaty and to implement, with due consideration to developments in global security, steps agreed to in the final documents of the 1995 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference and the 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences.

By a recorded vote of 173 in favour to 3 against (India, Israel, Pakistan), with 5 abstentions (Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Mali, United States), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 5, which would have the Assembly call upon all States not parties to the Non-Proliferation Treaty to accede as non-nuclear-weapon States to the Treaty promptly and without any conditions to achieve its universality and, pending their accession to the Treaty, to adhere to its terms and to take practical steps in support of the instrument.

By a recorded vote of 165 in favour to 4 against (France, Monaco, Russian Federation, South Africa), with 11 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 7, by which the Assembly would emphasize that deep concerns about the humanitarian consequences of the use of nuclear weapons continue to be a key factor that underpins efforts by all States towards a world free of nuclear weapons.

By a recorded vote of 152 in favour to 1 against (Austria), with 23 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 10, which would have the Assembly would stress that increased transparency will build confidence and trust at the regional and international levels and contribute to establishing a common ground for dialogue and negotiation, which could allow further reductions in nuclear weapons towards their total elimination.

By a recorded vote of 147 in favour to 2 against (Austria, South Africa), with 26 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 12, which would have the Assembly call upon all States to make utmost efforts to ease international tension, strengthen trust between States and improve the international security environment with a view to facilitating further nuclear reductions.

By a recorded vote of 170 in favour to 3 against (China, France, Russian Federation), with 6 abstentions (Egypt, Iran, Mali, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, South Africa), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 13, which would have the Assembly urge all States possessing nuclear weapons to continue to undertake all efforts necessary to comprehensively address the risks of unintended nuclear detonations.

By a recorded vote of 158 in favour to 2 against (South Africa, United States), with 19 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 18, which would have the Assembly acknowledge the widespread call for the early entry into force of the Test-Ban Treaty, while recalling that all States, in particular the eight remaining States in annex II thereof, have been urged to take individual initiatives to sign and ratify that Treaty without waiting for any other States to do so.  It would also have the Assembly urge all States to maintain all existing moratoria on nuclear-weapon test explosions or any other nuclear explosions and declare their political will to do so, so long as the Treaty has not entered into force.

By a recorded vote of 172 in favour to 2 against (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Pakistan) with 5 abstentions (Egypt, Iran, Israel, Mali, Thailand), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 20, by which the Assembly would urge all States concerned to immediately commence negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices and its early conclusion on the basis of document CD/1299 of 24 March 1995 and the mandate contained therein.

By a recorded vote of 172 in favour to 2 against (China, Pakistan), with 5 abstentions (India, Israel, Mali, Myanmar, Thailand), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 21, which would have the Assembly urge all States concerned to declare and maintain a moratorium on the production of fissile material for use in nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, pending the entry into force of the treaty.

By a recorded vote of 170 in favour to none against, with 9 abstentions (Brazil, Egypt, India, Iran, Israel, Mali, Myanmar, Pakistan, Venezuela), the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 31, by which the Assembly would stress the fundamental role of IAEA safeguards and the importance of the universalization of the comprehensive safeguards agreements.  By that text the Assembly would also note that it is the sovereign decision of any State to conclude an additional protocol, strongly encourage all States that have not done so to conclude and bring into force as soon as possible an additional protocol based on the Model Additional Protocol to the Agreement(s) between States and IAEA for the Application of Safeguards, approved by the Board of Governors of the Agency on 15 May 1997.

The Committee then approved “L.54” as a whole by a vote of 160 in favour to 4 against (China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Syria), with 24 abstentions.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution “Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons” (document A/C.1/73/L.57/Rev.1), by which the Assembly would underline once again the unanimous conclusion of the Court that there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control.  It would also call once again upon all States to immediately engage in multilateral negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control, including under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraphs 9 and 17 and operative paragraph 2.

By a recorded vote of 137 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 35 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 9, which would have the Assembly note continued efforts towards realizing nuclear disarmament, including through the Secretary-General’s disarmament agenda, Securing Our Common Future:  An Agenda for Disarmament.

By a recorded vote of 118 in favour to 34 against, with 23 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 17, which would have the Assembly welcome the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which has contributed to achieving the objective of a legally binding prohibition of the development, production, testing, deployment, stockpiling, threat or use of nuclear weapons and their destruction under effective international control.

By a recorded vote of 120 in favour to 34 against, with 22 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 2, by which the Assembly would call once again upon all States to immediately engage in multilateral negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control, including under the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 131 in favour to 31 against, with 19 abstentions.

The Committee then took up the draft resolution “Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices” (document A/C.1/73/L.58), by which the Assembly would urge the Conference on Disarmament to agree on and implement at its earliest opportunity a programme of work that includes the immediate commencement of negotiations on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices on the basis of document CD/1299 and the mandate contained therein.

By the text, the Assembly would also urge the Conference on Disarmament to carry out further expert work to elaborate on all relevant aspects of a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices, including how the various approaches to verification of a treaty would work in practice and to assess the resource implications associated with the use in a treaty of the various potential elements.

The Committee then approved the draft by a vote of 180 in favour to 1 against (Pakistan), with 5 abstentions (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Egypt, Iran, Israel, Syria).

It then took action on draft resolution “Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world” (document A/C.1/73/L.62).  By the text, the Assembly would call upon all States to acknowledge the catastrophic humanitarian consequences and risks posed by a nuclear weapon detonation, whether by accident, miscalculation or design.  The 193‑member body would also acknowledge the ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament and the urgency of achieving and maintaining a nuclear-weapon-free world, which is a “global public good of the highest order”, serving both national and collective security interests.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote on preambular paragraph 11.

By a recorded vote of 121 in favour to 29 against, with 22 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 11, which would have the Assembly recall the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, in which the ethical imperatives for nuclear disarmament are acknowledged.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 130 in favour to 34 against, with 18 abstentions.

The Committee then took up a draft resolution on “Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world:  accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments” (document A/C.1/73/L.64), by which the Assembly would call upon the nuclear-weapon States to fulfil their commitment to undertaking further efforts to reduce and ultimately eliminate all types of nuclear weapons, deployed and non-deployed, including through unilateral, bilateral, regional and multilateral measures.  It would also urge all States possessing nuclear weapons to decrease the operational readiness of nuclear-weapon systems in a verifiable and transparent manner with a view to ensuring that all nuclear weapons are removed from high alert status.

Prior to approving that draft text as a whole, the Committee held a separate recorded vote to retain preambular paragraphs 4 and 12 and operative paragraphs 13, 15 and 24.

By a recorded vote of 134 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 36 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 4, which would have the Assembly welcome the launch of the Secretary-General’s disarmament agenda, entitled Securing Our Common Future:  An Agenda for Disarmament, in Geneva on 24 May 2018.

By a recorded vote of 120 in favour to 35 against, with 18 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of preambular paragraph 12, which would have the Assembly welcome the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

By a recorded vote of 131 in favour to 2 against (United States, Israel), with 41 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 13, by which the Assembly would urge the co-sponsors of the 1995 resolution on the Middle East to exert their utmost efforts with a view to ensuring the early establishment of 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, including through support for the convening of the conference on the establishment of such a zone.

By a recorded vote of 160 in favour to 5 against (Greece, India, Israel, Pakistan, United States), with 9 abstentions (Bhutan, Czech Republic, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Mali, Ukraine, United Kingdom) the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 15, which would have the Assembly call upon all States parties to spare no effort to achieve the universality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and in this regard urges India, Israel and Pakistan to accede to the Treaty as non-nuclear-weapon States promptly and without conditions, and to place all their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

By a recorded vote of 122 in favour to 35 against, with 17 abstentions, the Committee approved the retention of operative paragraph 24, by which the Assembly would call upon Member States to continue to support efforts to identify, elaborate, negotiate and implement further effective legally binding measures for nuclear disarmament, and welcome in this regard the adoption on 7 July 2017 of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

The Committee then approved the draft as a whole by a vote of 134 in favour to 31 against, with 18 abstentions.