Resolution 60/52
(December 8, 2005)
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 A and B of 9
December 1981, 37/75 of 9 December 1982, 38/64 of 15
December 1983, 39/54 of 12 December 1984, 40/82 of 12
December 1985, 41/48 of 3 December 1986, 42/28 of 30
November 1987, 43/65 of 7 December 1988, 44/108 of 15
December 1989, 45/52 of 4 December 1990, 46/30 of 6
December 1991, 47/48 of 9 December 1992, 48/71 of 16
December 1993, 49/71 of 15 December 1994, 50/66 of 12
December 1995, 51/41 of 10 December 1996, 52/34 of 9
December 1997, 53/74 of 4 December 1998, 54/51 of 1
December 1999, 55/30 of 20 November 2000, 56/21 of 29
November 2001, 57/55 of 22 November 2002, 58/34 of 8
December 2003 and 59/63 of 3 December 2004 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 their
nuclear facilities under International Atomic Energy
Agency safeguards and to declare their support for the
establishment of the zone and to 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 since its thirty-fifth
session that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free
zone in 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 Middle
East,
Welcoming all initiatives
leading to general and complete disarmament, including
in the region of the Middle East, and in particular
on the establishment therein of a zone free of weapons
of mass des truction, including nuclear weapons,
Noting the peace negotiations
in the Middle East, which should be of a comprehensive
nature and represent an appropriate framework for the
peaceful settlement of contentious issues in the region,
Recognizing the importance
of credible regional security, including the establishment
of a mutually verifiable nuclear-weapon-free zone,
Emphasizing the essential
role of the United Nations in the establishment of a
mutually verifiable nuclear-weapon-free zone,
Having examined the
report of the Secretary-General on the implementation
of resolution 59/63,2
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 resolution
GC(49)/RES/15, adopted on 30 September 2005 by the General
Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency
at its forty-ninth regular session, concerning the application
of Agency safeguards in the Middle East;4
4. Notes the importance of
the ongoing bilateral Middle East peace negotiations
and the activities of the multilateral Working Group
on Arms Control and Regional Security in promoting mutual
confidence and security in the Middle East, including
the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone;
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, 1 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. Takes note of the report
of the Secretary-General;
9. Invites all parties to
consider the appropriate means that may contribute towards
the goal of general and complete disarmament and the
establishment of a zone free of weapons of mass destruction
in the region of the Middle East;
10. Requests the Secretary-General
to continue to pursue consultations with the States
of the region and other concerned States, in accordance
with paragraph 7 of resolution 46/30 and taking into
account the evolving situation in the region, and to
seek from those States their views on the measures outlined
in chapters III and IV of the study annexed to his report
of 10 October 19905 or other relevant measures,
in order to move towards the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free
zone in the Middle East;
11. Also requests the Secretary-General
to submit to the General Assembly at its sixty-first
session a report on the implementation of the present
resolution;
12. Decides to include in
the provisional agenda of its sixty-first session the
item entitled “Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free
zone in the region of the Middle East”.
61st plenary meeting
8 December 2005
Notes
1Resolution S-10/2.
2A/60/126 (Part I).
3United Nations, Treaty Series, vol.
729, No. 10485.
4See International Atomic Energy Agency,
Resolutions and Other Decisions of the General Conference,
Forty-ninth Regular Session, 26–30 September
2005 (GC(49)/RES/DEC(2005)).
5A/45/435.
Sources: The United Nations |