UNGA’s panel adopts with big majority Pakistan’s draft seeking security assurances for non-nuclear states

UNITED NATIONS, : The UN General Assembly’s main committee has adopted, by an overwhelming majority, a Pakistan-sponsored resolution under which the 193-member Assembly would reaffirm the urgent need to reach an early agreement on effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

Entitled: “Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons”, the resolution was voted in the Assembly’s First Committee, which deals with disarmament and international security matters.

The resolution mustered a majority of 119 votes in favour to none against, with 60 abstentions.

A large number of states belonging to the Non-aligned Movement as well as China and Japan supported the text, while the US and European States as well as India abstained.

By its terms, the Assembly would reaffirm the urgent need to reach an early agreement on effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons.

Noting with satisfaction that there is no objection in principle in the Conference on Disarmament to the idea of an international convention on the topic, the resolution would appeal to all States, especially nuclear-weapon States, to work actively towards early agreement on a common approach leading to a legally binding international instrument.

It would come up for formal endorsement of the General Assembly next month, along with the three of Pakistan’s regional disarmament-related resolutions which were adopted by the committee on Tuesday — also with strong support of the member states.

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