Keeping biological, chemical and nuclear weapons from terrorists, bolstering regional and subregional arms control and speeding results from nuclear disarmament promises and processes were among the aims of the 17 draft texts approved today as the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) began taking action on the 53 draft texts before it.

Welcoming positive developments in Libya and taking note of the Declaration of Liberation following the death of long-time leader Muammar al-Qadhafi, the Security Council this morning ended the authorization under which the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) had conducted an air campaign with the mandated aim of protecting civilians, as of 31 October 2011.

The Security Council this morning adopted its annual report to the General Assembly for the period 1 August 2010 to 31 July 2011.

Draft resolutions on conventional weapons tabled at the United Nations Committee rang a “clarion call” for Member States to urgently redouble efforts to stem the flow of those arms into vulnerable communities around the world, where they shattered the peace and wreaked havoc, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today, with the introduction of three such texts.

The path from Prague was fast and straight, but now that path was starting to move into “uncharted terrain”, the United States Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance told the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) today as it debated viable approaches and credible options for the oft-expressed goal of general and complete disarmament.

In a complex and dangerous world, the “bitter reality” was that the possession of nuclear weapons by some gave others the excuse to acquire them, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) was told today during its thematic debate on nuclear weapons, which also heard the introduction of three draft resolutions.

While peacekeeping operations remained an integral tool for maintaining peace and security, full‑scale military operations could not be seen as a replacement for long‑term peaceful diplomatic efforts, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) was told today as it concluded its debate on peacekeeping for the main part of the sixty‑sixth session.

As the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian and Cultural) concluded its debate on the promotion and protection of human rights today, Member States described national efforts to meet obligations to rights that they described as “equal, indivisible and mutually reinforcing”.

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at a World Food Day commemoration in New York, 27 October:

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks to the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly on the proposed programme budget for the biennium 2012-2013, in New York 27 October: