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                                             A/RES/47/48

                                             81st plenary meeting

                                             9 December 1992







         Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the

                 region of the Middle East







     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 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 and 46/30 of 6 December 1991 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,



     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 all 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 also 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 at its

thirty-fifth session that the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the

region of 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 region of 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 destruction, including

nuclear weapons,



     Emphasizing the essential role of the United Nations in the establishment

of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East,



     Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation

of resolution 46/30,



     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;



     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(XXXVI)/RES/601 of the General Conference

of the International Atomic Energy Agency concerning the application of Agency

safeguards in the Middle East;



     4.   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, and to

deposit those declarations with the Security Council;



     5.   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;



     6.   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;



     7.   Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General;



     8.   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;



     9.   Requests the Secretary-General to pursue further 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 or other

relevant measures, in order to move towards the establishment of a

nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East;



     10.  Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly

at its forty-eighth session a report on the implementation of the present

resolution;



     11.  Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-eighth

session the item entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the

region of the Middle East".





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