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UNITED                                                                      

NATIONS





                        General Assembly





                                                      Distr.

                                                      GENERAL



                                                      A/RES/50/66

                                                      9 January 1996





Fiftieth session

Agenda item 66





                  RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY



               [on the report of the First Committee (A/50/586)]





            50/66.      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 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 and 49/71 of 15 December 1994

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 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 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,



      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 nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the

Middle East,



      Having examined the report of the Secretary-General on the

implementation of resolution 49/71,  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(39)/RES/24, adopted on 22

September 1995 by the General Conference of the International Atomic

Energy Agency at its thirty-ninth regular session, concerning the

application of Agency safeguards in the Middle East;



      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; 2/



      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  4/ or other relevant

measures, in order to move towards the establishment of a nuclear-

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



      11.   Also requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General

Assembly at its fifty-first session a report on the implementation of

the present resolution;



      12.   Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-

first session the item entitled "Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-

free zone in the region of the Middle East".



                                                          90th plenary meeting

                                                              12 December 1995





                                     Notes



1/   Resolution S-10/2.



2/   A/50/325.



3/   United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 729, No. 10485.



4/   A/45/435.





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