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62nd Plenary Meeting of General Assembly 72nd Session
Heeding the recommendation of its First Committee (Disarmament and International Security), the General Assembly adopted 53 draft resolutions and 4 draft decisions today, including one that would, with renewed determination, seek concerted action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons.
Adopting that text by a recorded vote of 156 in favour to 4 against (China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Syria), with 24 abstentions, the Assembly called upon all States to take further practical steps and measures towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons, based on the principle of undiminished and increased security for all.
Welcoming the new Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, the Assembly adopted a related draft resolution on ethical imperatives for a nuclear weapon free world. Adopting that text by a vote of 130 in favour to 36 against, with 15 abstentions, the Assembly called upon all States to acknowledge the catastrophic humanitarian consequences and risks posed by a nuclear weapon detonation, and noted that all responsible States had a solemn duty to take decisions that served to protect their people and each other from the ravages of such activities.
Reaffirming its condemnation of the use of chemical weapons by anyone under any circumstances, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution “Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction” by a recorded vote of 159 in favour 7 against (Burundi, China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Iran, Russian Federation, Syria, Zimbabwe), with 14 abstentions. In doing so, it expressed its strong conviction that those individuals responsible for their use must be held accountable.
Prior to the passage of that text as a whole, the Assembly decided, by separate recorded votes, to retain several paragraphs, which included provisions whereby it condemned in the strongest possible terms the use of chemical weapons in Syria, as indicated in reports by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism.
Highlighting the importance of addressing regional concerns, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution “Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels”, by a vote of 184 in favour to 1 against (India), with 2 abstentions (Bhutan, Russian Federation). Before adopting that text as a whole, the Assembly decided, by a recorded vote of 140 in favour to 1 against (India), with 39 abstentions, to retain operative paragraph 2, which requested the Conference on Disarmament to consider the formulation of principles that could serve as a framework for regional agreements on conventional arms control.
Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolutions on regional disarmament, confidence building measures in the regional and subregional context, activities of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa and strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region.
The Assembly also took action on measures to curb the proliferation of next generation armaments, adopting the draft resolution “Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons: report of the Conference on Disarmament” by a recorded vote of 180 in favour to 3 against (Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with no abstentions. By the terms of that text, the Assembly reaffirmed that effective measures be taken to prevent the emergence of such weapons.
Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices, the Assembly adopted a draft resolution of the same name without a vote, urging Member States to comply fully with all relevant United Nations resolutions, including those related to preventing terrorist groups from using and accessing materials that could be used in making such weapons.
Addressing new challenges arising from fast moving developments in the information communication technology arena, the Assembly adopted, by a recorded vote of 185 in favour to none against, with 1 abstention (Ukraine), a draft resolution on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security.
The Assembly also adopted, without a vote, two annual draft resolutions containing reports on the work of the Conference on Disarmament and on the Disarmament Commission. It also adopted a draft decision on its 2018 programme of work and took note of a report on programme planning.
Due to budget implications, the Assembly deferred action on draft resolutions on follow up to the 2013 high level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament and on further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space.
Over the course of the meeting, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, draft resolutions relating to transparency of military expenditures; African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty; establishing a nuclear weapon free zone in the Middle East; and the role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament.
Taking up texts contained in its First Committee report on general and complete disarmament, the Assembly adopted, by separate recorded vote, draft resolutions on: follow up to nuclear disarmament obligations agreed to at the 1995, 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons; taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations; and compliance with non proliferation, arms limitation and disarmament agreements and commitments.
Also by separate recorded votes, it adopted draft resolutions on a nuclear weapon free world; reducing nuclear danger; nuclear disarmament; Arms Trade Treaty; nuclear weapon free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas; and promoting multilateralism in disarmament and non proliferation. The Assembly also adopted by separate recorded votes draft resolutions on convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament; and on follow up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons.
It also approved three draft decisions; one, by recorded vote, on a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices; and two, without a vote, on nuclear disarmament verification and on the Treaty on the South East Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone.
With regard to related instruments, the Assembly adopted, by separate recorded votes, draft resolutions on the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and on the implementation of Convention on Cluster Munitions and of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction. Acting without a vote, it adopted draft resolutions 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 and on the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.
Also under the general and complete disarmament category, the following draft resolutions were adopted without a vote: assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them; measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction; relationship between disarmament and development; observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control; International Day against Nuclear Tests; and on the prohibition of dumping radioactive wastes. Also without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolutions on problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus; transparency and confidence building measures in outer space activities; and the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects.
Turning to other First Committee reports, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, draft resolutions pertaining to the work of United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament as well as the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa, Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean and the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific. It also adopted draft resolutions, by recorded vote, on the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East; Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty; and the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons.
The General Assembly will meet again on Tuesday, 5 December to consider draft resolutions and reports related to oceans and sustainable fisheries.
