General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

9 December 1981

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                   A/RES/36/100
                                                   91st plenary meeting
                                                   9 December 1981
 
 
          36/100.  Declaration on the Prevention of Nuclear Catastrophe
 
               The General Assembly,
 
               Bearing in mind that the foremost task of the United Nations,
          born in the flames of the Second World War, has been, is and will be
          to save present and succeeding generations from the scourge of war,
 
               Recognizing that all the horrors of past wars and all other
          calamities that have befallen people would pale in comparison with
          what is inherent in the use of nuclear weapons capable of destroying
          civilization on earth,
 
               Reaffirming that the universally accepted objective is to
          eliminate completely the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons
          through the cessation of their production, followed by the
          destruction of their stockpiles, and that, to this end, priority in
          disarmament negotiations should be given to nuclear disarmament,
 
               Convinced that, as the first step in this direction, the use of
          nuclear weapons and the waging of nuclear war should be outlawed,
 
               SOLEMNLY PROCLAIMS, ON BEHALF OF THE STATES MEMBERS OF THE
          UNITED NATIONS,
 
               1.     States and statesmen that resort first to the use of
          nuclear weapons will be committing the gravest crime against
          humanity;
 
               2.     There will never be any justification or pardon for
          statesmen who would take the decision to be the first to use nuclear
          weapons;
 
               3.     Any doctrines allowing the first use of nuclear weapons
          and any actions pushing the world towards a catastrophe are
          incompatible with human moral standards and the lofty ideals of the
          United Nations;
 
               4.     It is the supreme duty and direct obligation of the
          leaders of nuclear-weapon States to act in such a way as to
          eliminate the risk of the outbreak of a nuclear conflict.  The
          nuclear-arms race must be stopped and reversed by joint effort,
          through negotiations conducted in good faith and on the basis of
          equality, having as their ultimate goal the complete elimination of
          nuclear weapons;
 
               5.     Nuclear energy should be used exclusively for peaceful
          purposes and only for the benefit of mankind.