Two-session conference on conversion of partial-test-ban treaty asked by Assembly; co-operative climate in First Committee noted, nuclear issues dominate.

Co-operative climate in First Committee noted nuclear issues dominate

Stating that a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty is the "highest priority step" towards nuclear disarmament, the General Assembly on 15 December recommended that a conference of States parties to the 1963 partial test-ban Treaty be convened in two sessions-in 1990 and 1991-to convert that agreement into a comprehensive ban on all nuclear-weapon testing, including underground explosions.

Resolution 44/106 was adopted by 127 votes to 2 United Kingdom, United States), with 22 abstentions, one of 59 texts on disarmament issues approved by the Assembly on the recommendation of its First Committee (Political and Security). Twenty-two of those texts were approved by consensus.

Committee Chairman Adolfo Taylhardat of Venezuela said the Committee's work had benefited from positive trends in the international arena, and had been carried out in a "constructive, co-operative climate", with "great flexibility" exercised. He noted the continuing reduction in the number of drafts considered, with 79 drafts in 1987, 74 in 1988 and 64 in 1989.

Under the terms of the 1963 Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water, an amendment conference must be held if a third of States parties request it. By 15 December, a total of 44 countries had requested such a conference, 5 more than the 39 required.

The Assembly recommended that after preparatory work, the conference should be held from 4 to 8 June 1990 and from 7 to 18 January 1991.

Nuclear issues continued to dominate the First Committee's agenda, with some 20 texts adopted in that area. Conventional disarmament and a chemical weapons ban were also top priorities for most States. Other important topics were: regional disarmament, naval disarmament, prevention of an arms race in outer space, implications. of science and technology for security, arms transfers, confidence-building measures and dumping of radioactive wastes,

Action was taken on a number of new topics, including conversion of military resources, defensive security concepts and policies, education for disarmament, and transparency with regard to military expenditures.

As in the past, the Assembly called for both bilateral and multilateral solutions to disarmament and a more effective role for the UN in the sphere of disarmament. Mutually acceptable, verifiable and effective disarmament measures were desired.

The Disarmament Commission was directed to prepare elements of a draft resolution on the declaration of a third Disarmament Decade by the forty-fifth Assembly.

The Conference on Disarmament, as the "single multilateral disarmament negotiating forum of the international community' was asked to adopt concrete measures on specific priority issues and provide negotiating mandates to ad hoc committees on all agenda items.

The Disarmament Commission, which the Assembly described as the specialized "deliberative body within the United Nations multilateral disarmament machinery", was also asked to make every effort to achieve results.

Nuclear issues

The Conference on Disarmament was asked to negotiate a comprehensive test ban, a ban on the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons and an international legal instrument on the obligation not to be the first to use nuclear weapons. Steps to create an international seismic monitoring network to verify compliance with a nuclear test ban were asked of the Conference.

Three texts were adopted on the subject of developments in USSRUnited States bilateral disarmament negotiations. In a non-aligned text (44/116K), both were asked to achieve a treaty on a 50 per cent reduction in strategic offensive arms as part of the process leading to the complete elimination of nuclear weapons.

A China-sponsored resolution asked (44/116D) the super-Powers to take the lead in halting the nuclear arms race. A Western draft called (44/116B) on the two countries to spare no effort in attaining all agreed objectives, in accordance with the security interests of all States.

The USSR and the United States were urged to agree to an immediate nuclear-arms freeze, simultaneously stopping production of nuclear weapons and of fissionable material for weapons purposes. All nuclear-weapon States were called on to agree, through a joint declaration, to a comprehensive nuclear-arms freeze.

All nuclear-weapon States, particularly the three depositary Powers of the 1963 Treaty-USSR, United Kingdom, United States-were urged to halt all test explosions "for all time". Verifiable and militarily significant interim measures were asked of nuclear-weapon States, with a view to realizing a comprehensive nuclear-test ban.

Establishment of nuclear-weaponfree zones in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia was supported. The Assembly noted with satisfaction that 11 members of the South Pacific Forum had ratified the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and that China and the USSR had adhered to Protocols 2 and 3 of the Treaty. France was urged not to delay further the ratification of Additional Protocol I of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America (Treaty of Tlatelolco). Chemical ban: high priority

High priority was asked for work on a convention to ban development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. All States were called on to abide by the commitments undertaken in the Declaration of the 1989 Paris Conference on chemical weapons. The Assembly recognized the importance of declarations made by States on whether or not they possessed chemical weapons and of further international data exchanges on the subject.

Continued work on a radiological weapons ban was also asked. Both projects are being undertaken in the Conference on Disarmament.

The Assembly welcomed the progress achieved so far in two negotiations, one on new confidence-and security-building measures and the other on conventional armed forces in Europe, both in the framework of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE) process.

The USSR and the United States were urged to negotiate an early agreement for preventing an arms race in outer space. The Assembly drew the attention of States to the set of principles on freezing and reducing military budgets, prepared by the Disarmament Commission

The Assembly asked the Secretary-General to complete work by 1990 on the evaluation of the impact of future scientific and technological developments, especially those with potential military applications, on international security.