General Assembly

Distr. GENERAL  

12 December 1984

ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH

                                                       A/RES/39/53
                                                       12 December 1984
                                                       Meeting no. 97
 
               Urgent need for a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty
 
         The General Assembly,
 
         Convinced of the urgent need for a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban
    treaty capable of attracting the widest possible international support and
    adherence,
 
         Reaffirming its conviction that an end to all nuclear testing by all
    States in all environments for all time would be a major step towards
    ending the qualitative improvement, development and proliferation of
    nuclear weapons, a means of relieving the deep apprehension concerning the
    harmful consequences of radioactive contamination for the health of
    present and future generations and a measure of the utmost importance in
    bringing the nuclear-arms race to an end,
 
         Recalling that the parties to the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests
    in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water  undertook not to carry
    out any nuclear-weapon-test explosion, or any other nuclear explosion, in
    the environments covered by that Treaty, and that in that Treaty the
    parties expressed their determination to continue negotiations to achieve
    the discontinuance of all test explosions of nuclear weapons for all time,
 
         Recalling also that the parties to the Treaty on the
    Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons  recalled the determination expressed
    by the parties to the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the
    Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water in its preamble to seek to
    achieve the discontinuance of all test explosions of nuclear weapons for
    all time and to continue negotiations to this end, declaring their
    intention to achieve at the earliest possible date the cessation of the
    nuclear-arms race and to undertake effective measures in the direction of
    nuclear disarmament,
 
         Recalling further its previous resolutions on this subject,
 
         Taking into account that part of the report of the Conference on
    Disarmament concerning consideration of the item entitled "Nuclear-test
    ban" during its session in 1984,
 
         Also taking into account relevant proposals and initiatives put
    forward in the Conference on Disarmament during its session in 1984,
 
         Expressing its profound regret that, in spite of strenuous efforts,
    the Conference on Disarmament was unable to reach agreement on the
    re-establishment at its session in 1984 of an Ad Hoc Committee under
    item 1 of its agenda, entitled "Nuclear-test ban",
 
         Recognizing the important role of the Conference on Disarmament in
    the negotiation of a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty,
 
         Recognizing the importance to such a treaty of the work on a global
    seismic detection network, assigned by the Conference on Disarmament to
    the Ad Hoc Group of Scientific Experts to Consider International
    Co-operative Measures to Detect and Identify Seismic Events,
 
         Recalling paragraph 31 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special
    Session of the General Assembly,  relating to verification of disarmament
    and arms control agreements, which stated that the form and modalities of
    the verification to be provided for in any specific agreement depend on,
    and should be determined by, the purposes, scope and nature of the
    agreement,
 
         1.  Reiterates its profound concern that, despite the express wishes
         of the majority of Member States, nuclear testing continues;
 
         2.  Reaffirms its conviction that a treaty to achieve the prohibition
         of all nuclear-test explosions by all States in all environments for
         all time is a matter of greatest importance;
 
         3.  Expresses the conviction that such a treaty would constitute a
         vital element for the success of efforts to halt and reverse the
         nuclear-arms race and the qualitative improvement of nuclear weapons,
         and to prevent the expansion of existing nuclear arsenals and the
         spread of nuclear weapons to additional countries;
 
         4.  Urges the Conference on Disarmament to establish at the beginning
         of its session in 1985 an Ad Hoc Committee under item 1 of its
         agenda, entitled "Nuclear-test ban" and
 
         (a) To resume immediately its substantive work relating to a
         comprehensive test ban, including the issue of scope as well as those
         of verification and compliance, with a view to the negotiation of a
         treaty on the subject;
 
         (b) Taking into account the work previously performed by and the
         results of the technical test being conducted by the Ad Hoc Group of
         Scientific Experts to Consider International Co-operative Measures to
         Detect and Identify Seismic Events, to take steps for the
         establishment as soon as possible of an international seismic
         monitoring network
 
         (i) to monitor nuclear explosions;
 
         (ii)to determine the capabilities of such a network for monitoring
             compliance with a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty;
 
         (c) To initiate detailed investigation of other measures to monitor
         and verify compliance with such a treaty, including an international
         network to monitor atmospheric radioactivity;
 
         5.  Urges all members of the Conference on Disarmament, in particular
         the nuclear-weapon States, to co-operate within the Conference in
         fulfilling these tasks;
 
         6.  Calls upon the Conference on Disarmament to report on progress to
         the General Assembly at its fortieth session;
 
         7.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fortieth
         session the item entitled "Urgent need for a comprehensive
         nuclear-test-ban treaty".