General Assembly: Action on First Committee Drafts

General Assembly: Action on First Committee Drafts

(Note: A full summary of today's General Assembly meeting will be made available upon completion.)

Action on First Committee Reports

The Assembly first took note of the report titled "Reduction of military budgets" (document A/78/400), which contains no draft proposals.

The Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled "Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace" (document A/78/401) by a recorded vote of 138 in favour to 4 against (France, Israel, United Kingdom, United States), with 42 abstentions. 

By the text, the Assembly reiterated its conviction that the participation of all permanent members of the Security Council and major maritime users of the Indian Ocean in the Ad Hoc Committee's work is important and would assist the progress of a mutually beneficial dialogue to develop conditions of peace, security and stability in the region. 

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled "African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty" (document A/78/402).

By the text, the Assembly called upon African States that have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba) as soon as possible. It expressed its appreciation for the nuclear-weapon States that have signed the Protocols that concern them and called on those that have not yet ratified them to do so as soon as possible. It called on the States contemplated in Protocol  III that have not yet done so to ensure the Treaty's speedy application to territories for which they are, de jure or de facto, internationally responsible and which lie within the limits of the geographical zone established in the Treaty. 

The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution titled "Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons:  report of the Conference on Disarmament" (document A/78/403), by a recorded vote of 180 in favour to 3 against (Israel, Ukraine, United States), with 1 abstention (South Sudan). 

By the text, it requested the Conference on Disarmament to keep under review the emergence of new types of weapons of mass destruction with a view to make recommendations when necessary on specific negotiations on identified types of such weapons.  It also called upon all States to give favourable consideration immediately to any recommendations of the Conference on Disarmament. 

The Assembly then considered the report titled "Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security" (document A/78/404).

It postponed the consideration of draft resolution I by the same name to allow time for a review of its programme budget implications by the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

The Assembly turned to draft resolution II, titled "Programme of action to advance responsible State behaviour in the use of information and communications technologies in the context of international security".

It first retained operative paragraph 4 by a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 10 against (Belarus, Burundi, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Somalia, Syria), with 18 abstentions. The provision concerns the establishment of a mechanism under UN auspices, upon the conclusion of the 2021-2025 Open-ended Working Group and no later than 2026, that will be permanent, inclusive and action-oriented with the objectives affirmed in General Assembly resolution 77/37 and with the common elements for future regular institutional dialogue agreed by consensus in the 2023 annual progress report of the 2021-2025 Open-ended Working Group.

The Assembly then adopted the draft as a whole by a recorded vote of 161 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, Burundi, China, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 11 abstentions. Further to the text, the Assembly decided that the scope, structure, content and modalities of this mechanism shall be based on consensus outcomes of the Group, taking into account the Secretary-General's report, views submitted by States, regional consultations and dialogue.

Next, the Assembly postponed consideration of the draft decision titled "Open-ended working group on security of and in the use of information and communications technologies 2021-2025 established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 75/240" to allow time for a review by the Fifth Committee.

The Assembly then adopted the draft resolution titled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East" (document A/78/405) by a recorded vote of 179  in favour to 1  against (Israel), with 3 abstentions (Cameroon, South Sudan, United States).

The text urged all parties directly concerned to take the steps required for the implementation of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East and called on all countries of the region to agree to place all their nuclear activities under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. It invited those countries, pending the zone's establishment, 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.

Next, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled "Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons" (document A/78/406) by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to none against, with 62 abstentions.   

By it terms, the Assembly reaffirmed the urgent need to reach an early agreement on effective arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. It appealed to all States, especially the nuclear-weapon States, to work actively towards an early agreement on a common approach, particularly on a common formula that could be included in a legally binding international instrument. It recommended that the Conference on Disarmament actively continue intensive negotiations with a view to reaching early agreement and concluding effective international agreements in that regard.    

Turning to the report titled "Prevention of an arms race in outer space" (document A/78/407), the Assembly adopted without a vote draft resolution I, by the same name. In so doing, it called on all States, in particular those with major space capabilities, to contribute actively to the objective, and to refrain from actions contrary to it and the relevant existing treaties.  It reiterated that the Disarmament Committee has the primary role in negotiating a multilateral agreement or agreements on the prevention of an outer space arms race.    

The Assembly then turned to draft resolution II of the report, titled "Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours".  

It first retained preambular paragraph 8 by a recorded vote of 154 in favour to 8  against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 3 abstentions (India, Niger, Sri Lanka). The provision stresses that the deliberate destruction of space systems increases the potential for misunderstanding and miscalculations that could lead to conflict. It welcomes the commitment of several States not to conduct destructive direct-ascent anti-satellite missile tests.

It next retained preambular paragraph 13 by a recorded vote of 153 in favour to 9  against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 2  abstentions (India, Saudi Arabia). The provision expresses conviction that possible solutions to outer space security, including norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours, can involve a mix of legally binding obligations and political commitments, and that work in both areas can be pursued in a progressive, sustained and complementary manner, without undermining existing legal obligations.   

Preambular paragraph 15 was retained by a recorded vote of 153 in favour to 9  against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 2 abstentions (India, Saudi Arabia). It reiterates the need for all States to work together to reduce threats to space systems through the further development and implementation of norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours, including an appropriate combination of both political commitments and legally binding instruments.   

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 2 by a recorded vote of 150 in favour to 9  against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 2 abstentions (India, Sri Lanka). The provision welcomes the 2022 and 2023 deliberations by the Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours established by the General Assembly, which, together with the working papers and presentations submitted to it, contributes to outer space security and the prevention of an arms race in outer space.

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 4 by a recorded vote of 145 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 9 abstentions (Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Egypt, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Togo), by which  the Assembly decided to convene, in Geneva, a new open-ended working group, building on the work of the 2022-2023 Open-Ended Working Group and other relevant bodies, including the Group of Governmental Experts established by its resolution 77/250 to further elaborate the concept.   

It retained operative paragraph 5 by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 7 abstentions (Brunei Darussalam, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Mexico, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Togo).  By it, the Assembly decided that the open-ended working group shall submit its report to the General Assembly at its eighty-first session, and that it shall adopt its final conclusions and recommendations by consensus.   

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 6 by a recorded vote of 149 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 5 abstentions (Brunei Darussalam, India, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sri Lanka, Togo), by which it decided that the open-ended working group shall hold a two-day organizational session and two substantive sessions of five days each in 2025, and two substantive sessions of five days each in 2026.   

Operative paragraph 7 held by a recorded vote of 129 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 25 abstentions. According to it, the Assembly reaffirmed that intergovernmental organizations and other entities having received a standing invitation to participate as observers in the General Assembly's work and representatives of non-governmental organizations that are in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council may participate in the formal and informal meetings of the open-ended working group as observers.   

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 8 by a recorded vote of 126 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 25 abstentions, concerning participation in the open-ended working group.    

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 9 by a recorded vote of 151 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 5 abstentions (Brunei Darussalam, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Togo). By it, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to provide all necessary assistance to the open-ended working group and its Chair and to transmit its report to the Conference on Disarmament and the Disarmament Commission.   

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 10 by a recorded vote of 153 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 2 abstentions (India, Sri Lanka), deciding to include in the provisional agenda of its next session, under the item "Prevention of an arms race in outer space", the sub-item entitled "Reducing space threats through norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours".   

The Assembly adopted the resolution as a whole by a recorded vote of 166 in favour to 9 against (Belarus, China, Cuba, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Iran, Mali, Nicaragua, Russian Federation, Syria), with 4 abstentions (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan). By so doing, it welcomed the deliberations in 2022 and 2023 of the Open-Ended Working Group and decided to convene in Geneva a new such group to make recommendations on the prevention of an arms race in outer space.   It also decided to consider how the implementation of norms, rules and principles of responsible behaviours could be verified, including through the possible establishment of a mechanism for inter-State coordination.   

The Assembly then turned to draft resolution III, titled "No first placement of weapons in outer space".  

Prior to voting on the draft as a whole, it retained preambular paragraph 5 by a recorded vote of 118 in favour to 49 against, with 6 abstentions (Côte d'Ivoire, Haiti, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Switzerland, Türkiye), which reaffirmed that practical measures should be taken in the search for agreements to prevent an outer space arms race in a common effort towards a community of shared future for humankind.   

The Assembly retained preambular paragraph 9 by a recorded vote of 115 in favour to 48 against, with 6 abstentions (Côte d'Ivoire, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Switzerland, Türkiye). It welcomed the draft treaty on the prevention of the placement of weapons in outer space and of the threat or use of force against outer space objects, introduced by China and the Russian Federation at the Conference on Disarmament in 2008, and its updated version in 2014.   

It retained preambular paragraph 11 by a recorded vote of 119 in favour to 48 against, with 5 abstentions (Côte d'Ivoire, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Switzerland, Türkiye), by which the Assembly stressed the importance of the political statements made by several States that they would not be the first to place weapons in outer space.   

The Assembly adopted the text as a whole by a recorded vote of 127 in favour to 51 against, with 6 abstentions (Côte d'Ivoire, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, South Sudan, Switzerland, Türkiye). In so doing, it encouraged all States, especially space-faring nations, to consider the possibility of upholding a political commitment not to be the first to place weapons in outer space.   It reiterated that the Conference on Disarmament has the primary role in the negotiation of a multilateral agreement, or agreements, on the prevention of an arms race in outer space. It urged an early commencement of substantive work based on the updated draft treaty introduced by China and the Russian Federation.  

The Assembly postponed consideration of draft resolution IV, titled "Further practical measures for the prevention of an arms race in outer space" to allow time for the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) to review its programme budget implications.   

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the draft resolution titled "Role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament" (document A/78/408), by which it called upon Member States to remain vigilant in understanding new and emerging developments in science and technology that could imperil international security.

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Turning to draft resolution VIII, "Follow-up to nuclear disarmament obligations agreed to at the 1995, 2000 and 2010 Review Conferences of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons", the Assembly retained preambular paragraph 6 by a recorded vote of 113 in favour to 3 against (Federated States of Micronesia, India, Israel), with 53 abstentions, reaffirming the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review Conference.

The Assembly then adopted the resolution as a whole by a recorded vote of 116 in favour to 45 against, with 19 abstentions, calling for nuclear-weapon States to unilaterally reduce their arsenals, increase transparency on nuclear capabilities and diminish the role of such weapons in their security policies. 

Turning to draft resolution IX, "Youth, disarmament and non-proliferation", the Assembly retained preambular paragraph 12 by a recorded vote of 167 in favour to none against, with 3 abstentions (Iran, Russian Federation, Syria).  By the provision, the Assembly noted action 38 of the Secretary-General's disarmament agenda, which describes the young generation as the ultimate force for change and proposes actions to promote youth engagement. 

It then adopted the resolution as a whole without a vote, by which it called upon Member States, the UN and other organizations to consider developing and implementing policies and programmes for young people to increase constructive engagement in disarmament and non-proliferation.

Next, the Assembly adopted draft resolution X, "Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions", by a recorded vote of 148 in favour to 1 against (Russian Federation), with 36 abstentions.  By the text, the Assembly urged all States not party to the Convention to ratify or accede to it as soon as possible. 

Turning to draft resolution XI, "Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons", the Assembly retained preambular paragraph 10 by a recorded vote of 141 in favour to 2 against (Mali, Russian Federation), with 30 abstentions. It noted efforts towards realizing nuclear disarmament, including through the Secretary-General's disarmament agenda.   

The Assembly also retained preambular paragraph 18 by a recorded vote of 113 in favour to 41 against, with 12 abstentions, by which it welcomed the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. 

The Assembly retained operative paragraph 2 by a recorded vote of 116 in favour to 40 against, with 12 abstentions, by which it called on all States to immediately engage in multilateral negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament.   

The Assembly then adopted the resolution as a whole by a recorded vote of 135 in favour to 35 against, with 15 abstentions.  Further to the text, the Assembly underlined the unanimous conclusion of the International Court of Justice that an obligation exists to conclude negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effect international control. 

Next, the Assembly adopted draft resolution XII, "Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons", by a recorded vote of 141 in favour to 11 against, with 33 abstentions.  By the text, the Assembly stressed that the catastrophic effects of nuclear weapon detonation, whether by accident, miscalculation or design, cannot be adequately addressed.

The Assembly then adopted draft resolution XIII, "Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons", by a recorded vote of 123 in favour to 43 against, with 17 abstentions, calling upon all States that have not yet done so to sign, ratify or accede to the Treaty at the earliest possible date.

Acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolution XIV, "Regional disarmament", by which it called upon States to conclude agreements for nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and confidence-building measures at regional and subregional levels. 

Turning to draft resolution XV, "Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional level", the Assembly retained preambular paragraph 7 by a recorded vote of 171 in favour to 1 against (India), with 2 abstentions (Poland, Russian Federation), by which it noted the start of consultations among Latin American countries and proposals for conventional arms control in South Asia. 

The Assembly also retained operative paragraph 2, by a recorded vote of 116 in favour to 1 against (India), with 50 abstentions, requesting the Conference on Disarmament to consider the formulation of principles that can serve as a framework for regional agreements on conventional arms control.

The Assembly then adopted the resolution as a whole by a recorded vote of 186 in favour to 1 against (India), with no abstentions.  Further to the text, the Assembly decided to urgently consider the issues involved in conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels.

Next, acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted draft resolution XVI, "Confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context", by which it called upon Member States to refrain from the use or threat of force and urged States to strictly comply with all bilateral, regional and international agreements to which they are party.

Turning to draft resolution XVII, "Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (Bangkok Treaty)", the Assembly retained operative paragraph 2 by a recorded vote of 170 in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (Belarus, Russian Federation).  In so doing, it recognized the intention of States parties to continue exploring the possibility of allowing individual nuclear-weapon States to sign and ratify the Treaty's Protocol without reservations.

The Assembly then adopted the resolution as a whole without a vote. 

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First Committee