United Nations

A/RES/49/69


General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

15 December 1994

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH


                                                  A/RES/49/69
                                                  90th plenary meeting
                                                  15 December 1994
 
            49/69. Amendment of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests
                   in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water
 
      The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolutions 44/106 of 15 December 1989, 45/50 of 4
December 1990, 46/28 of 6 December 1991, 47/46 of 9 December 1992 and 48/69 of
16 December 1993,
 
      Reiterating its conviction that a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty
is the highest-priority measure for the cessation of the nuclear-arms race and
for the achievement of the objective of nuclear disarmament,
 
      Recalling the central role of the United Nations in the field of nuclear
disarmament and in particular in the cessation of all nuclear-test explosions,
as well as the persistent efforts of non-governmental organizations in the
achievement of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty,
 
      Conscious of the growing environmental concerns throughout the world and
of the past and potential negative effects of nuclear testing on the
environment,
 
      Recalling its resolution 1910 (XVIII) of 27 November 1963, in which it
noted with approval the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere,
in Outer Space and under Water, signed on 5 August 1963, and requested the
Conference of the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament to continue with a
sense of urgency its negotiations to achieve the objectives set forth in the
preamble to the Treaty,
 
      Recalling also that more than one third of the parties to the Treaty
requested the depositary Governments to convene a conference to consider an
amendment that would convert the Treaty into a comprehensive test-ban treaty,
 
      Recalling further that a substantive session of the Amendment Conference
of the States Parties to the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the
Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water was held in New York from 7 to 18
January 1991,
 
      Reiterating its conviction that the Amendment Conference will facilitate
the attainment of the objectives set forth in the Treaty and thus serve to
strengthen it,
 
      Noting with satisfaction the unilateral nuclear-test moratoriums
announced by several nuclear-weapon States,
 
      Welcoming the decision of the Conference on Disarmament to give its Ad
Hoc Committee on a Nuclear Test Ban a mandate to negotiate a comprehensive
test ban,12
 
      Recalling its recommendation that arrangements be made to ensure that
intensive efforts continue, under the auspices of the Amendment Conference,
until a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty is achieved, and its call that
all parties participate in, and contribute to the success of, the Amendment
Conference,
 
      Recalling also the decision adopted by the Amendment Conference to the
effect that, since further work needed to be undertaken on certain aspects of
a comprehensive test-ban treaty, especially those with regard to verification
of compliance and possible sanctions against non-compliance, the President of
the Conference should conduct consultations with a view to achieving progress
on those issues and to resuming the work of the Conference at an appropriate
time,
 
      Welcoming also the ongoing efforts being conducted by the President of
the Amendment Conference,
 
      Recalling further the concluding statement made by the President of the
Amendment Conference at the special meeting of States parties held on 10
August 1993, in which broad agreement was found for:
 
      (a)   Pursuing work for a comprehensive test ban in the Amendment
Conference and the Conference on Disarmament in a mutually supportive and
mutually complementary manner,
 
      (b)   Holding another special meeting early in 1994 to review
developments and assess the situation regarding a comprehensive test ban and
to examine the feasibility of resuming the work of the Amendment Conference
later that year,
 
      (c)   Promoting universality of a comprehensive test ban by having the
President of the Amendment Conference liaise closely with the Conference on
Disarmament and the five nuclear-weapon States,
 
      1.    Notes with satisfaction that in 1994 the Conference on Disarmament
initiated the multilateral negotiation of a universal and effectively
verifiable comprehensive nuclear-test ban, which would contribute effectively
to the prevention of proliferation in all its aspects, to the process of
nuclear disarmament and therefore to the enhancement of international peace
and security;
 
      2.    Notes the intention of the President of the Conference to convene,
after appropriate consultations and in the light of the work carried out by
the Conference on Disarmament, another special meeting of the States parties
to the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space
and under Water, as envisaged by the General Assembly in its resolution 48/69,
to review developments and assess the situation regarding a comprehensive test
ban and to examine the feasibility of resuming the work of the Amendment
Conference;
 
      3.    Recommends that arrangements be made to ensure the fullest
possible participation of non-governmental organizations in the Amendment
Conference;
 
      4.    Reiterates its conviction that, pending the conclusion of a
comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty, the nuclear-weapon States should
suspend all nuclear-test explosions through an agreed moratorium or unilateral
moratoriums;
 
      5.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fiftieth
session the item entitled "Amendment of the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon
Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water".