UN General Assembly Resolutions: Resolution 51/48
(December 10, 1996)
The General Assembly,
Bearing in mind the relevant United Nations 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(40)RES/22 adopted on 20 September 1996, and noting the danger of nuclear proliferation, especially in areas of tension,
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 importance of placing 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 l995 Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 11 May 1995, 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 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, in which the Conference urged universal adherence to the Treaty as an urgent priority and called upon all States not yet party 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 the aforementioned resolution and decision on 11 May 1995, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates have become parties to the Treaty, and that Oman will become a party to the Treaty at the earliest date, and noting also that Israel shall be the only State in the Middle East that has not yet become a party to the Treaty and has not declared its intention to do so,
Concerned about threats posed to security and stability by the proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the region,
Stressing the importance of undertaking confidence-building measures, in particular the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East, in order to consolidate the non-proliferation regime and enhance peace and security in the region,
Noting the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty by the General Assembly and its signature by one hundred and thirty-two States, including a number of States in the region,
1. Welcomes the accession of Djibouti to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 22 August 1996, as well as the decision of Oman, expressed by its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs before the General Assembly on 1 October 1996, to accede to the Treaty;
2. Calls upon the only State in the region that is not yet party to the Treaty and has not declared its intention to do so, 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 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;
3. Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution;
4. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second session the item entitled "The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East."
Sources: The United Nations