ESTABLISHMENT OF A NUCLEAR-WEAPON-FREE ZONE IN THE
REGION OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Report of the First Committee
Rapporteur: Mr. Latévi Modem LAWSON-BETUM (Togo)
1. The item entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East" was included in the provisional agenda of the forty-fifth session of the General Assembly in accordance with Assembly resolution 44/108 of 15 December 1989.
2. At its 3rd plenary meeting, on 21 September 1990, the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the General Committee, decided to include the item in its agenda and to allocate it to the First Committee.
3. At its 2nd meeting, on 9 October 1990, the First Committee decided to hold a general debate on the disarmament items allocated to it, namely, items 45 to 66. At its 4th meeting, on 16 October, the First Committee decided to consider jointly with other disarmament items agenda item 155, which was allocated to the First Committee upon a decision of the General Assembly at its 30th plenary meeting, on 15 October. The deliberations on those items took place between the 3rd and 23rd meetings, from 15 to 30 October (see A/C.1/45/PV.3-23). Consideration of and action on draft resolutions on those items took place between the 24th and 39th meetings, from 2 to 16 November (see A/C.1/45/PV.24-39).
4. In connection with item 49, the First Committee had before it the following documents:
(a) Report of the Secretary-General on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East (A/45/388);
(b) Report of the Secretary-General on the study on affective and verifiable measures which would facilitate the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East (A/45/435);
(c) Letter dated 16 April 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General (A/45/219-S/21252);
(d) Letter dated 19 September 1990 from the Permanent Representative of Egypt to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting the text of the documents adopted by the Nineteenth Islamic Conference of Foreign Ministers, held at Cairo from 31 July to 5 August 1990 (A/45/421-S/21797).
II. CONSIDERATION OF DRAFT RESOLUTION A/C.1/45/L.1
5. On 29 October 1990, Egypt submitted a draft resolution entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East" (A/C.1/45/L.1). The draft resolution was introduced by the representative of Egypt at the 33rd meeting, on 9 November.
6. At its 35th meeting, on 13 November, the Committee adopted draft resolution A/C.1/45/L.1 without a vote (see para. 7).
III. RECOMMENDATION OF THE FIRST COMMITTEE
7. The First Committee recommends to the General Assembly the adoption of the following draft resolution,
Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone
in the region of the Middle East
The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 3263 (XXIX) of 9 December 1974, 3474 (XXX) of 11 December 1975, 31/71 of 10 December 1976, 32/82 of 12 December 1977, 33/64 of 14 December 1978, 34/77 of 11 December 1979, 35/147 of 12 December 1980, 36/87 of 9 December 1981, 37/75 of 9 December 1982, 38/64 of 15 December 1983, 39/54 of 12 December 1964, 40/82 of 12 December 1985, 41/48 of 3 December 1986, 42/28 or 30 November 1987, 43/65 of 7 December 1988 and 44/108 of 15 December 1989 on the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East,
Recalling also the recommendations for the establishment of such a zone in the Middle East consistent with paragraphs 60 to 63, and in particular paragraph 63 (d), of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, 1/
Emphasizing the basic provisions of the above-mentioned resolutions, which call upon all parties directly concerned to consider taking the practical and urgent steps required for the implementation of the proposal to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East and, pending and during the establishment of such a zone, to declare solemnly that they will refrain, on a reciprocal basis, from producing, acquiring or in any other way possessing nuclear weapons and nuclear explosive devices and from permitting the stationing of nuclear weapons on their territory by any third party, to agree to place all their nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and to declare their support for the establishment of the zone and deposit such declarations with the Security Council for consideration, as appropriate,
Reaffirming the inalienable right of all States to acquire and develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes,
Emphasizing the need for appropriate measures on the question of the prohibition of military attacks on nuclear facilities,
Bearing in mind the consensus reached by the General Assembly at its thirty-fifth session that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East would greatly enhance international peace and security,
Desirous of building on that consensus so that substantial progress can be made towards establishing a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East,
Emphasizing the essential role of the United Nations in the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East,
Having examined the report of the Secretary-General, which contains the study on effective and verifiable measures which would facilitate the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, 2/
1. Urges all parties directly concerned to consider seriously taking the practical and urgent steps required for the implementation of the proposal to establish a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly and, as a means of promoting this objective, invites the countries concerned to adhere to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; 3/
2. Calls upon all countries of the region that have not done so, pending the establishment of the zone, to agree to place all their nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards;
3. Takes note of the report of the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency on the implementation of paragraph 2 of resolution GC(XXXIII)/RES/506, which is contained in document GC(XXXIV)/926;
4. Also takes note of the request made by the General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency to its Director General in paragraph 2 of resolution GC(XXXIV)/RES/526 "to deploy further efforts in continuing the consultation with the States concerned in tho Middle East area with a view to applying Agency safeguards to all nuclear installations in the area, keeping in mind the relevant recommendations contained in paragraph 75 of the report attached to document GC(XXXIII)/887, as well as various proposals and opinions referred to in the Governments' replies contained in document GC(XXXIV)/926 and the situation in the area of the Middle East";
5. Invites all countries of the region, pending the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East, to declare their support for establishing such a zone, consistent with paragraph 63 (d) of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, and to deposit those declarations with the Security Council;
6. Also invites those countries, pending the establishment of the zone, not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons or permit the stationing on their territories, or territories under their control, of nuclear weapons or nuclear explosive devices;
7. Invites the nuclear-weapon States and all other States to render their assistance in the establishment of the zone and at the same time to refrain from any action that runs counter to both the letter and the spirit of the present resolution;
8. Welcomes the completion of the study undertaken by the Secretary-General, in accordance with paragraph 8 of resolution 43/65, on effective and verifiable measures which would facilitate the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, contained in his report;
9. Requests all parties of the region and other parties concerned, in particular the nuclear-weapon States, to submit to the Secretary-General their views and suggestions with respect to the above-mentioned study, as well as on follow-up measures which would facilitate the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East;
10. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-sixth session a report on the implementation of the present resolution;
11. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-sixth session the item entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East".
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1/ Resolution S-10/2.
2/ A/45/435, annex.
3/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485.
