Resolution 54/57
(December 1, 1999)
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind its relevant resolutions,
Taking note of the relevant resolutions adopted by the General
Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the latest of
which is resolution GC(43)/RES/23 adopted on 1 October 1999,
Cognizant that the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the
region of the Middle East would pose a serious threat to
international peace and security,
Mindful of the immediate need to place all nuclear facilities
in the region of the Middle East under full-scope safeguards of the
International Atomic Energy Agency,
Recalling the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the
1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on
the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 11 May 1995, 1/ in
which the Conference noted with concern the continued existence in
the Middle East of unsafeguarded nuclear facilities, reaffirmed the
importance of the early realization of universal adherence to the
Treaty 2/ and called upon all States in the Middle East that
had not yet done so, without exception, to accede to the Treaty as
soon as possible and to place all their nuclear facilities under
full-scope International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards,
Recalling also the decision on principles and objectives for
nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament adopted by the 1995 Review
and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 11 May 1995, 1/ in
which the Conference urged universal adherence to the Treaty as an
urgent priority and called upon all States not yet parties to the
Treaty to accede to it at the earliest date, particularly those
States that operate unsafeguarded nuclear facilities,
Noting that, since the adoption of General Assembly resolution
51/48 of 10 December 1996, Israel remains the only State in the
Middle East that has not yet become party to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons,
Concerned about the threats posed by the proliferation of
nuclear weapons to the security and stability of the Middle East
region,
Stressing the importance of taking confidence-building
measures, in particular the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free
zone in the Middle East, in order to enhance peace and security in
the region and to consolidate the global non-proliferation regime,
Noting the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban
Treaty 3/ and its signature by one hundred and fifty-five
States, including a number of States in the region,
1. Calls upon the only State in the region that is not party
to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons 2/
to accede to the Treaty without further delay and not to develop,
produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons, and to renounce
possession of nuclear weapons, and to place all its unsafeguarded
nuclear facilities under full-scope International Atomic Energy
Agency safeguards as an important confidence- building measure among
all States of the region and as a step towards enhancing peace and
security;
2. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General
Assembly at its fifty-fifth session on the implementation of the
present resolution;
3. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its
fifty-fifth session the item entitled "The risk of nuclear
proliferation in the Middle East".
69th plenary meeting
1 December 1999
1/ See 1995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties
to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Final
Document, Part I (NPT/CONF.1995/32 (Part I)), annex.
2/ United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485.
3/ See resolution 50/245.
Sources: The United Nations |