Disarmament in Review
The 70th General Assembly on Disarmament and International Security
First Committee Press Releases, Draft Resolutions, Statements, Secretary-General’s Reports, and Side Events
Press Releases
- 7 December 2015
On Recommendation of First Committee, General Assembly Adopts More than 50 Drafts, Including New One on ‘Ethical Imperatives’ for Nuclear Disarmament
- 6 November 2015
First Committee Sends Last of 57 Drafts to General Assembly at Close of Session After Record Participation in Thematic Debates
- 5 November 2015
First Committee Approves 20 Drafts, Including New One Containing Declaration Aimed at Relinquishing ‘They versus Us’ Approach to Nuclear Disarmament
- 4 November 2015
Speakers in First Committee Decry Destructive Force of Indiscriminate Weapons While Some Defend Need for National Protection, Approving 11 More Drafts - 3 November 2015
First Committee Approves Texts on Disarmament Aspects of Outer Space, Weapons of Mass Destruction, in Voting Pattern Reflecting Complex Security Concerns
- 2 November 2015
First Committee Sends 16 Drafts on Nuclear Disarmament to General Assembly, Including New One on ‘Ethical Imperatives’, Following 21 Recorded Votes
- 30 October 2015
Potential Security Impacts of Cyberspace Misuse Considered in First Committee, as Speakers Warn of Arms Race, Emergence of New Theatre of Warfare
- 29 October 2015
Growing Complexity in Troubled Regions Shapes Debate in First Committee, as Calls Intensify to Rid Middle East of All Mass Destruction Weapons
- 28 October 2015
Speakers Urge Action on Membership Expansion, Adopting Balanced Work Programme of Disarmament Conference, as First Committee Concludes Debate on Key Forums
- 27 October 2015
Difficult to Imagine Conference on Disarmament Regaining Relevance after 17 Years of Dysfunction, Speaker Tells First Committee as Debate Begins on Key Forums
- 26 October 2015
Worrying Trends on ‘Conventional Weapons Horizon’, Speaker Tells First Committee, Alleging Devastation of Entire Regions from Arms Manufactured Elsewhere
- 23 October 2015
Divergent Paths Emerge in First Committee on Ways to Achieve Outer Space Security, Safety, Sustainability, through Legally or Non-Legally Binding Pacts - 22 October 2015
As Fourth, First Committees Hold Joint Meeting, Speakers Stress Need for Holistic Handling of Outer Space Security, Sustainability - 22 October 2015
Speakers Express Outrage in First Committee at Present-Day Chemical Weapons Use, as Some Stress Need to Avert Acquisition by Non-State Actors - 21 October 2015
‘Strange Alchemy’ Suggesting Nuclear Weapons Elimination Will Breed Insecurity ‘Truly Offensive’, First Committee Hears, Amid Clamour for Legal Ban - 20 October 2015
Nuclear Weapons Retention Cedes Moral High Ground to Non-State Actors, First Committee Hears in Thematic Debate, following Briefings by Agency Chiefs
- 19 October 2015
Nuclear Detonation ‘Leaves Trail of Death and Destruction in Its Wake’, Speakers Tell First Committee, Spotlighting Dangers of Alliances, Excessive Holdings
- 15 October 2015
Amid Warnings of New Cold War, Speaker in First Committee Denounces Inventories of Nuclear Weapons in States Pursuing Non-Proliferation with ‘Messianic Zeal’
- 14 October 2015
Speakers in First Committee Call for Legal Framework to Address Nuclear Weapons Possession, Proliferation, Even If It Means Negotiating outside United Nations
- 13 October 2015
Consequences of Small Arms Claim Attention in First Committee, as African Nations Underscore Dangers of Terrorist Use
- 12 October 2015
Non-Nuclear-Weapon States Urge New Global Order, while Nuclear-Armed Countries Defend Need for ‘Safe and Effective’ Arsenals, in First Committee Debate
- 9 October 2015
Speakers in First Committee Say ‘Trust Deficit’ Must Be Upended to Hasten Pace of Nuclear Disarmament, Break Cycle of Intense Frustration
- 8 October 2015
Anxiety over Nuclear Weapons ‘Deep and Genuine’, Disarmament High Representative Tells First Committee as Session Opens, Urging It to ‘Roll Up Its Sleeves’
- 7 October 2015
First Committee Approves Work Programme Containing Items on Nuclear Disarmament, Non-Proliferation, International Security, Outer Space, Disarmament Machinery
- 5 October 2015
Karel Jan Gustaaf Van Oosterom of Netherlands Chair of First Committee
Draft Resolutions tabled at the First Committee
| Situation reports of the First Committee on agenda items 88 to 105, 120 and 135 ( Note by the Secretariat ) |
| Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East |
| The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East |
| Prevention of an arms race in outer space |
| 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its Preparatory Committee |
| Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region |
| Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them |
| Observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control |
| Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly: United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament |
| Promotion of multilateralism in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation |
| Relationship between disarmament and development |
| Convening of the fourth special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament – Open-ended Working Group on the Fourth Special Session of the GA devoted to disarmament |
| Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction |
| Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations |
| Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction |
| Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament |
| Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus |
| Objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures |
| Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace |
| Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction |
| Reducing nuclear danger |
| Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly: Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons |
| Role of science and technology in the context of international security and disarmament |
| 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 |
| Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects |
| Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices |
| United action towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons |
| GCD: Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction |
| GCD: Nuclear disarmament: Effective Measures on Nuclear Disarmament |
| Review of the implementation of the recommendations and decisions adopted by the General Assembly at its tenth special session: Report of the Disarmament Commission |
| GCD: Confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context |
| Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons |
| GCD: Regional disarmament |
| GCD: Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels |
| Nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas |
| GCD: Countering the Threat Posed by Improvised Explosive Devices |
| GCD: Nuclear disarmament: Humanitarian Consequences of Nuclear Weapons |
| GCD: Nuclear disarmament: Humanitarian Pledge for the Prohibition and Elimination of Nuclear Weapons |
| GCD: The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects |
| GCD: Ethical Imperatives for a nuclear-weapons-free world |
| GCD: Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments |
| GCD: Nuclear disarmament |
| Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security |
| Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security |
| Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty |
| Prevention of an arms race in outer space: No first placement of weapons in outer space |
| GCD: Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities |
| GCD: Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities |
| GCD: Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions |
| GCD: Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-personnel Mines and on Their Destruction |
| GCD: Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons |
| GCD Nuclear disarmament: Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World |
| Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly: United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific |
| GCD: The Arms Trade Treaty |
| African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty |
| GCD: Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes |
| Review and implementation of the Concluding Document of the Twelfth Special Session of the General Assembly: United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa |
| GCD: Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction |
| Programme budget implications of draft resolution A/C.1/70/L.45: Developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security |
| Letter dated 27 September 2015 from the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General |
Draft Resolutions tabled at the Fifth Committee
Reports of the Fifth Committee
Programme budget implications of the amendment (A/70/L.26)
to the decision recommended in the report of the First Committee (A/70/460)
Note by the Secretariat
Resolutions adopted by the 70th Session of the General Assembly
| Objective information on military matters, including transparency of military expenditures |
| Implementation of the Declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace |
| African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty |
| Establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the region of the Middle East |
| Conclusion of effective international arrangements to assure non-nuclear-weapon States against the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons |
| Prevention of an arms race in outer space |
| No first placement of weapons in outer space |
| 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and its Preparatory Committee |
| Assistance to States for curbing the illicit traffic in small arms and light weapons and collecting them |
| Observance of environmental norms in the drafting and implementation of agreements on disarmament and arms control |
| Promotion of multilateralism in the area of disarmament and non-proliferation |
| Relationship between disarmament and development |
| Taking forward multilateral nuclear disarmament negotiations |
| Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament |
| Problems arising from the accumulation of conventional ammunition stockpiles in surplus |
| Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction |
| Reducing nuclear danger |
| 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 |
| Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices |
| United action with renewed determination towards the total elimination of nuclear weapons |
| Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction |
| Confidence-building measures in the regional and subregional context |
| Regional disarmament |
| Conventional arms control at the regional and subregional levels |
| Nuclear-weapon-free southern hemisphere and adjacent areas |
| Countering the threat posed by improvised explosive devices |
| Humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons |
| Humanitarian pledge for the prohibition and elimination of nuclear weapons |
| The illicit trade in small arms and light weapons in all its aspects |
| Ethical imperatives for a nuclear-weapon-free world |
| Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: accelerating the implementation of nuclear disarmament commitments |
| Nuclear disarmament |
| Transparency and confidence-building measures in outer space activities |
| Implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions |
| Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction |
| Follow-up to the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons |
| Universal Declaration on the Achievement of a Nuclear-Weapon-Free World |
| The Arms Trade Treaty |
| Prohibition of the dumping of radioactive wastes |
| Treaty on the South-East Asia Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone(Bangkok Treaty) |
| United Nations regional centres for peace and disarmament |
| Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons |
| United Nations Regional Centre for Peace, Disarmament and Development in Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Regional confidence-building measures: activities of the United Nations Standing Advisory Committee on Security Questions in Central Africa |
| United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific |
| United Nations Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Africa |
| Report of the Conference on Disarmament |
| Report of the Disarmament Commission |
| Thirty-fifth anniversary of the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research |
| The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East |
| Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects |
| Strengthening of security and cooperation in the Mediterranean region |
| Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty |
| Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction |
Chair’s Statement
- 6 November 2015
Closing remarks by the Chair
Statement by the President of the 2015 NPT Review Conference
- 21 October 2015
Address by H.E.Ms Taous Feroukhi To the First Committee of the 70th UN General Assembly
High Representative Statements
- 9 October 2015
Statement to the First Committee of the General Assembly : Follow-up of resolutions and decisions
adopted by the First Committee at its past session
Presentation of reports - 8 October 2015
Acting High Representative’s opening statement to the General Debate of the 70th session of the First Committee of the United Nations General Assembly (as prepared)
Countries, Groups and Organisations’ Statements
General Debate
- Indonesia (on behalf of NAM)
- Myanmar (on behalf of ASEAN )
- Finland (on behalf of the Nordic States )
- Oman (on behalf of the Group of Arab States )
- South Africa (on behalf of the New Agenda Coalition )
- Trinidad and Tobago ( on Behalf of the Caribbean Community )( CARICOM )
- Nigeria (on behalf of the Group of African States )
- European Union
- Switzerland
- Japan (On behalf of the Non-Proliferation and Disarmament Initiative)
- Israel
- Russian Federation (E) , (R)
- Kazakhstan
- Chile
- Philippines
- Cuba
- Jamaica
- China
- Indonesia
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Peru
- Germany
- Netherlands
- Libya
- United Republic of Tanzania
- France
- Ecuador ( on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States )
- India
- Saudi Arabia
- Poland
- Ghana
- Algeria
- United States of America
- Belarus
- Senegal
- Thailand
- Republic of Korea
- Georgia
- Costa Rica
- Turkey
- Spain
- Lebanon
- Australia
- Nigeria
- Japan
- Botswana
- Canada
- Uruguay
- Norway
- South Africa
- Tunisia
- New Zealand
- Sweden
- Uganda
- Qatar
- Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea - Italy
- Mongolia
- Austria
- Zambia
- Namibia
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine
- Ireland
- Argentina
- Kenya
- Malaysia
- Egypt
- Portugal
- United Arab Emirates
- Burkina Faso
- Syrian Arab Republic
- El Salvador
- Paraguay
- Armenia
- Singapore
- Estonia
- Guatemala
- Bahrain
- Viet Nam
- Hungary
- Maldives
- Pakistan
- San Marino
- Cameroon
- Niger
- Bangladesh
- Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Nicaragua
- Brazil
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Afghanistan
- Eritrea
- Kuwait
- Honduras
- Benin
- Serbia
- Myanmar
- Kyrgyzstan
- Jordan
- Gabon
- Ethiopia
- Montenegro
- Madagascar
- Morocco
- Nepal
- Holy See
- International Committee
of the Red Cross (ICRC)
- Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean(OPANAL)
Thematic Debate on Nuclear Weapons
- Austria (on behalf of the humanitarian initiative)
- Indonesia (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement
- Uruguay (on behalf of the Union of South American Nations)
- Chile (on behalf of the De Alerting Group: Malaysia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Sweden, Switzerland, Chile)
- South Africa (on behalf of the new Agenda Coalition)
- Arab Group
- Mexico
- Germany
- United States
- Algeria
- Colombia
- France
- Austria
- Portugal
- Netherlands
- South Africa
- Israel
- Czech Republic
- Latvia
- Australia
- Ireland
- Norway
- Canada
- Pakistan
- India
- Germany
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Japan
- Guatemala
- Bulgaria
- Senegal
- Thailand
- China
- Costa Rica
- Romania
- Italy
- Viet Nam
- New Zealand
- New Zealand / Brazil
- Republic of Korea
- Lithuania
- Ecuador
- Spain
- Morocco
- Lao People’s Democratic Republic
- Myanmar
- United Arab Emirates
- Malawi
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Sri Lanka
- Russian Federation
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- Sweden
- Turkey
- Palau
- Zambia
- Indonesia
- Philippines
- Nigeria
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Holy See
Thematic Debate on Other Weapons of Mass Destruction
- Uruguay (on behalf of the Union of South American Nations)
- Oman (on behalf of the Group of Arab States)
- Finland (on behalf of the Nordic States: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden)
- Russian Federation (on behalf of Brazil, Russian Federation, India, China, South Africa)
- European Union
- Non-Aligned Movement
- United States
- Algeria
- Pakistan
- France
- South Africa
- Australia
- Banladesh
- Qatar
- India
- Japan
- Switzerland
- Mexico
- Libya
- China
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Cuba
- Republic of Korea
- Lithuania
- Spain
- Syrian Arab Republic
- Hungary
- Poland
- Turkey
Thematic Debate on Disarmament Aspects of Outer Space
- Indonesia (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement)
- Armenia (on behalf of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization)
- Uruguay (on behalf of the Union of South American Nations)
- Oman (on behalf of the Group of Arab States)
- European Union
- United States
- Algeria
- Pakistan
- France
- Venezuela
- Australia
- Switzerland
- China
- Cuba
- Kuwait
- Italy
- Sri Lanka
- Bangladesh
- Egypt
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
- Myanmar
Thematic Debate on Conventional Weapons
- Indonesia (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement)
- Uruguay (on behalf of the Union of South American Nations)Egypt
- Guyana (on behalf of the Caribbean Community)
- Egypt (on behalf of the Group of Arab States)
- Nigeria ( on behalf of the African Group )
- European Union
- Algeria
- Pakistan
- United States
- Colombia
- France
- Singapore
- Netherlands
- South Africa
- Australia
- Israel
- Czech Republic
- India
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Japan
- Moldovia
- Switzerland
- Senegal
- Ireland
- Iraq
- Croatia
- Italy
- Egypt
- China
- Cuba
- New Zealand
- Kuwait
- Mexico
- Thailand
- Libya
- Romania
- Austria
- Republic of Korea
- Lithuania
- Lao People’s
Democratic Republic
- Ecuador
- Spain
- Russian Federation
- United Kingdom
- Botswana
- Bangladesh
- Serbia
- Ireland
- Zambia
- Turkey
- Slovakia
- Jamaica
- Ghana
- Mozambique
- Morocco
- Finland
- Eritrea
- Sweden
- Trinidad and Tobago
- Costa Rica
- Guatemala
- Somalia
- Nigeria
- Liberia
- Palau
Thematic Debate on Other Disarmament Measures and International Security
- Indonesia (on behalf of
the Non-Aligned
Movement) - Uruguay (on behalf of
the Union of South
American Nations) - Egypt (on behalf of the
Group of Arab States) - Algeria
- Pakistan
- United States ( Full Statement )
- Venezuela
- Singapore
- Netherlands
- Australia
- China
- Israel
- India
- Switzerland
- Cuba
- Italy
- Spain
- Malaysia
- Kuwait
- Russian Federation
Thematic Debate on Regional Disarmament and Security
- Indonesia (on behalf of
the Non-Aligned
Movement) - Uruguay (on behalf of
the Union of South
American Nations) - Egypt (on behalf of the
Group of Arab States) - Guyana (on behalf of
the Caribbean
Community) - Algeria
- Pakistan
- United States
- United Arab Emirates
- Malta
- Latvia
- Iran (Islamic Republic
of) - Cuba
- Togo
- Italy
- Iraq
- Greece
- Angola
- Cameroon
- Egypt
- Belarus
- Armenia
- Myanmar
- Peru
- Morocco
- Israel
- Azerbaijan
Thematic Debate on Disarmament Machinery
- Indonesia (on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement)
- Uruguay (on behalf of the Union of South American Nations)
- Egypt (on behalf of the Group of Arab States)
- European Union
- Algeria
- Pakistan
- Mongolia
- Colombia
- France
- Netherlands
- South Africa
- India
- Switzerland
- Senegal
- Libya
- China
- Iran (Islamic Republic of)
- Cuba
- Austria
- Spain
- Morocco
- Kuwait
- New Zealand
- Republic of Korea
- Lithuania
- Iraq
- Nepal
- Russian Federation
- Russian Federation Joint Statement in Support of the Conference on Disarmament
- United Kingdom
- Egypt
- Turkey
- Mexico
- Slovakia
- Portugal
- Latvia
- Morocco
- Palau
- UNIDIR Director Statement
Joint ad hoc meeting of First and Fourth Committees on possible challenges to space security and sustainability
Civil Society and NGO Presentations
- Mr. Wim Zwijnenburg, PAX
- Ms. Mary Wareham, Campaign to Stop Killer Robots
- Ms. Megan Burke, Cluster Munition Coalition
- Ms. Anna McDonald, Control Arms Coalition
- Mr. Richard Moyes, Article 36
- Ms. Ray Acheson, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
- Mr. Steve Goose, Human Rights Watch
- Ms. Joanne Mulligan, International Action Network on Small Arms and Light Weapons
- Mr. Daniel Hogsta, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons
- Ms. Amelie Chayer, International Campaign to Ban Landmines
- Ms. Kimberly Brown, International Network on Explosive Weapons
- Mr. Cesar Jaramillo, Project Ploughshares
- Ms. Jackie Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation
- Mr. Doug Weir, Toxic Remnants of War Network
- Mr. Richard Patterson, Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute
- Mr. Herbert Keusgen, World Forum on Shooting Activities
Friday 16 October 2014
