Preparations for the 2nd Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 44c Preparations for the 2nd special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, published in 1980.

What subjects does this mandate have?

2 subjects

Disarmament Members

What’s in this document?

20 operative paragraphs

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Peace and development are indivisible. During the Second Disarmament Decade, utmost efforts should be made towards the implementation of the specific measures whereby disarmament will contribute effectively to economic and social development and thus facilitate the full and early realization of the new international economic order. To this end, renewed efforts should be made to reach agreement on the reduction of military expenditures and the reallocation of resources from military purposes to economic and social development especially for the benefit of developing countries.

Efforts should also be made to strengthen international cooperation for the promotion of the transfer and utilization of nuclear technology for economic and social development, especially in the developing countries, taking into account the provisions of ali relevant paragraphs of the Final Document, in particular to ensure the success of the United Nations Conference for the Promotion of lnternational Co-operation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, to be convened in principie by 1983, as decided upon in General Assembly resolution 34/63 of 29 November 1979, as well as other promotional activities in this field in the United Nations system, including those within the framework of the lnternational Atomic Energy Agency.

E.Disarmament and international security

An essential condition for progress in the field of disarmament is the preservation and strengthening of international peace and security and the promotion of confidence among Sta tes. Nuclear weapons pose the greatest danger to mankind and to the survival of civilization. lt is essential to halt and reverse the nuclear-arms race in ali its aspects in order to avert the danger of war involving nuclear weapons. The ultimate goal in this context is the complete elimination of nuclear weapons. Significant progress in nuclear disarmament would be facilitated both by parallel political and international legal measures to strengthen the security of States and by progress in the limitation and reduction of armed forces and conventional armaments of the nuclear-weapon States and other States in the regions con cerned.

Ali States Members of the United Nations have, in the Final Document, reaffirmed their full commitment to the purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and their obligation strictly to observe its principies as well as other relevan! and generally accepted principies of international law relating to the maintenance of international peace and security. Disarmament, relaxation of international tension, respect for the right to self-determination and national independencc. sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the Charter and the strengthcning of international peace and sec'urity are directly related to each other. Progress in any of these spheres has a beneficia! effect on ali of them: in turn, failure in one sphere has negative effects on others. 1 n the decade of the 1980s, ali Governments, in particular the most advanced military Powers, should therefore take such steps as will con tribute to the widening of trust among nations of the world as well as in the various regions. This implies a commitment on the part of ali States to avoid actions likely to increase tension or create new areas of threats to international peace and security and. in their relationship with other countries, strictly to respect the sovercignty and territorial integrity nf States, and the right of peoples under colonial or foreign domination to self-dctcrmination and national independcnce.

F.Public awareness

As stated in paragraph 15 or the Final Document, it is essential that not only Govcrnments but also the peoples of the world recognize and understand the dangers in the present world armaments situation, so that world public opinion will be mobilized on behalf of peace and disarmament. This will be of great importance to the strengthening of international peace and security, the jusi and peaceful resolution of disputes and conflicts and effective disarmament.

1 n the course of the decade of the l 980s, therefore, governmental and non-governmental information organs of Member States and those of the United Nations and the specialized agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations, should, as appropriate, undertake further programmes of information relating to the danger of the armaments race as well as to disarmament efforts and negotiations and their results, particularly by means of annual activities conducted in connexion with Disarmament Week. These actions should constitute a large-scale programme further to alert world opinion to the danger of war in general and of nuclear war in particular. In keeping with its central role and primary responsibility in the sphere of disarmament, the United Nations, in particular its Centre for Disarmament. should intensify and co-ordinate its programme of publications, audio-visual materials, co-operation with non-governmental organizations and relations with the media. Among its activities, the United Nations should also, in the course of the Second Disarmament Decade, sponsor seminars in the different regions of the world at which issues relating to world disarmament, in general, and to the particular region, especially, will be cxtensively discussed.

G.Srudies

As part of the process of facilitating the consideration of issues in the field of disarmament, studies on specific questions should be undertaken on the decision of the General Assembly, when necessary for preparing the ground for negotiations or reaching agreement. Also, studies pursued under the auspices of the United Nations, in particular by the United Nations lnstitute for Disarmament Research established by Asscmbly resolution 34/83 M of 11 December 1979 within the framework of the United Nations I nstitute for Training and Research, could bring a useful contribution to the knowledge and exploration of disarmament problems, especially in the long term.

H.

lmplementation. review and appraisal

In the accomplishment of the activities earmarked for the Second Disarmament Decade, ali Governments, particularly the most advanced militar} Powcrs, should make an effective contribution. The United Nations should continue to play a central role. The Committee on Disarmament should fully discharge its responsibility as the single multilateral disarmament negotiating body. The General Assembly should, at its annual sessions and, in particular, at its second special session devoted to disarmament to be held in 1982, make an effective contribution to the pursuit of the goals of disarmament.

lt is pertinent also to recall that paragraphs 121 and 122 ofthe Final Document státed:

That bilateral and regional disarmament negotiations may also (a) play an important role and could facilitate the negotiation of multilateral agreements in the field of disarmament:

That al the earliest appropriate time, a world disarmament conference should be convened with universal participation and with adequate preparation.

In order to cnsure a co-ordinated approach and to consider the implementation of the Declaration of the 1980s as the Second Disarmamen t Decade, this question should be included in the agenda of the second special sess1on of the General Assembly devoled to disarmament, envisaged for 1982.

In addition, the General Assembly will undertake al its fortieth session, in 1985, a review and appraisal, through the Disarmament Commission, of progress in the implementation of the mcasures identified in the prcscnt Declaration

35 / 47.

Preparations for the second special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament'

Decides to establish a Preparatory Committee for the Second Special Session of the General Asse~bly Devoted to Disarmament composed of seventy-e1ght Member Sta tes appointed by the ~resident of the_ Ge_neral Assembly on the basis of equ1table geograph1c d1stribution;

Requests the Preparatory Committee to prepare a draft agenda for the special session_, to examine ali ~elevant questions relating to that sess1on and to subm1t to the General Assembly at its thirty-sixth session its recommendations thereon, including those in respect of the implementation of the decision_s and recom~endations adopted by the Assembly at 1ts tenth spec1al session;

Invites ali Member States to communicate to the Secretary-General their views on the agenda _and ot~er relevant questions relating to the second spec1al sess1on of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament not later than I April 198 I;

Requests the Secretary-General to transmit the replies of Member States relevant to paragraph 3 above to the Preparatory Committee and to render to it ali n~cessary assistance, including the provision of essential background information, relevant documents and summary records;

Requests the Preparatory Committee to meet for a short organizational session of not longer than one week before the end of the thirty-fifth session of the General Assembly in order, inter afia, to set the dates for its substantive sessions;

Further requests the Preparatory Committee _to submit its progress report to the General Assembly at 1ts thirty-sixth session;

Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its thirty-sixth session an ítem entitled: "Second special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament: report of the Preparatory Committee for the Second Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to Disarmament".

* * *

A t the 79th plenary meeting, the Presiden/ of the General Assembly announced that, in accordance with paragraph I of the abo ve resolution and on the basis of consultations held in the First Committee. he had ap-

'Resolution S-10/2. pointed the fo//owing States as members of the Preparatory Committ~e for the Second Special Session of the General Assembly Devoted to ~1sarmament. it being understood that any Member Sta/e would be_e~lllled to participare in the work ofthe Committee ~nder the same condu'.ons as those /aid down for the Preparatory Commrttee for the first specral session of the ,General Assembly devoted to disarmament: ALGERIA. ARGENTINA, AUSTRALIA, Al ISTRIA, BAHAMAS, BANGLADESH. BELGIUM, BFNIN, BRAZIL, 8UlGARlA, BIIRU1'DI, BYELORUSSIAN SOVIET SOCIALIST REPllBl K. CANADA, CHINA, COLOMBIA, CONGO, COSTA RICA, CUBA.

FIJI. F1Nl AND, FRAME. Gl·RMAN DEMOCRATIC RF.PLIBLIC. GERMANY. FFDFRAI RFPUBI.IC OF. GRH('l. GUYANA, HONDURAS. HUN(iARY,

JAMAICA. JAPAN, KLNYA. l.HlANON.

LiB\ .\N ARAB JAMAHIRIY•\, MAURl'l ll'S. MFXICO, MOMiOLIA. MOROCCO. NEPAi. NHHERLANDS, NEW Zl·ALAND,

NIGERIA.

NORWAY.

PANAMA,

PERll.

LANKA. SlllHN. SURINAMI. SWHJIN, TllNISIA, TllRKF.Y, lJKRAINIAN

UNITI.D KIN(;IJOM (JI· ÜRI AT BRITAIN AND NORTIILRN IRl-1 AND. UNI n 1)

REP\iBI.IC OF T.-\Nl,\NIA. UNITrD STA ns OI

35/141. Economic and social consequences of the armaments race and its extremely harmful effects on world peace and security

Requests the Secretary-q~neral to bring up t~ date, with the assistance of quahf1ed consultant experts appointed by him, the report entitled Econom!~ and Social Consequences of the Arms Race and of M1htary Ex-

-, -Unit¡;-d-N-;tions publication. Sales No. E.78.IX. l.

'Resolution S-10/2.

' Subsequently referred to as the Group of Experts on _the Econorn,_c and Social Consequences of the Arrns Race and of M1htary Expen,d1- tures.

-- -- - -

CYl'RllS, CZECHOSI OVAKIA. DFNMARK. ECUADOR, EGYPT. ETHIOPIA,

INDI,\. fNDONESI,\, ]RAN. IRAQ. ITAI Y.

LiBI-.RIA,

MAi AYSIA.

PAKISTAN. PHII IPl'INES. POLAND. ROMANIA, SFNEGAI., SIERRA LFONF. SPAIN. SRI SOVII-T SoCIAl.lST R~PUBl.ll. UNION 01· Sov1n SOCIAI.IST RFPLIBI.ICS.

AMI RICA, V1 NI /l 11 A. YL1c;os1AVIA. Z-\IRI andZAMBL'<