9 December 1981

Chemical and bacteriological (biological) weapons A

The General Assembly,

Reaffirming its resolutions 2454 A (XXIII) of 20 December 1968, 2603 B (XXIV) of 16 December 1969, 2662 (XXV) of 7 December 1970, 2827 A (XXVI) of 16 December 1971, 2933 (XXVII) of 29 November 1972, 3077 (XXVIII) of 6 December 1973, 3256 (XXIX) of 9 December 1974, 3465 (XXX) of 11 December 1975, 31/65 of 10 December 1976, 32/77 of 12 December 1977, S-10/2 of 30 June 1978, 33/59 A of 14 December 1978, 34/72 of 11 December 1979 and 35/144 B of 12 December 1980, relating to the complete and effective prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and of their destruction,

Reaffirming also the necessity of strict observance by all States of the principles and objectives of the Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare, signed at Geneva on 17 June 1925, and of the adherence by all States to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction,

Having considered the report of the Committee on Disarmament, which embodies, inter alia, the report of its Ad Hoc Working Group on Chemical Weapons,

Taking note of the recommendation in the report of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Chemical Weapons that the Committee on Disarmament at the beginning of its 1982 session should re-establish the Ad Hoc Working Group with an appropriately revised mandate, which would enable the Committee to build upon the areas of convergence and to resolve the differences of views which were identified by the Group during its sessions held in 1980 and 1981, so as to achieve agreement on a chemical weapons convention at the earliest date,

Considering it necessary that all efforts be exerted for the resumption and successful conclusion of the bilateral and multilateral negotiations on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction,

1. Notes with satisfaction the work of the Committee on Disarmament during its session held in 1981 regarding the prohibition of chemical weapons, in particular progress in the work of its Ad Hoc Working Group on that question;

2. Expresses its regret that an agreement on the complete and effective prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction has not yet been elaborated;

3. Urges the Committee on Disarmament to continue, as from the beginning of its session to be held in 1982, negotiations on such a multilateral convention as a matter of high priority, taking into account all existing proposals and future initiatives, and in particular to re-establish its Ad Hoc Working Group on Chemical Weapons with an appropriately revised mandate enabling the Committee to achieve agreement on a chemical weapons convention at the earliest date;

4. Requests the Committee on Disarmament to report on the results of its negotiations to the General Assembly at its second special session devoted to disarmament, to be held in 1982, and to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session.

B

The General Assembly,

Recalling that, in paragraph 75 of the Final Document of the Tenth Special Session of the General Assembly, it stated that the complete and effective prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and their destruction represented one of the most urgent measures of disarmament,

Convinced of the need for the earliest conclusion of a convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction, which would contribute to general and complete disarmament under effective international control,

Taking into consideration the work done in this area in the Committee on Disarmament as well as in the bilateral negotiations between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America, which regrettably had been suspended and did not take place in 1981,

Deeming it desirable for States to refrain from taking any action that could delay or further complicate such negotiations,

Expressing profound concern over the production of new types of chemical weapons and other actions, which would intensify the chemical arms race and compromise international efforts on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction,

1. Reaffirms the necessity of the earliest elaboration and conclusion of a convention on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction;

2. Appeals to all States to facilitate in every possible way the conclusion of such a convention;

3. Urges the Committee on Disarmament to continue, as from the beginning of its session to be held in 1982, negotiations on such a multilateral convention as a matter of high priority, taking into account all existing proposals and future initiatives, and in particular to re-establish its Ad Hoc Working Group on Chemical Weapons with an appropriately revised mandate enabling the Committee to achieve agreement on a chemical weapons convention at the earliest date;

4. Calls upon the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America to resume at the earliest possible date bilateral negotiations on the prohibition of the development, production and stockpiling of all chemical weapons and on their destruction and to submit their joint initiative to the Committee on Disarmament;

5. Calls upon all States to refrain from any action which could impede negotiations on the prohibition of chemical weapons and specifically to refrain from production and deployment of binary and other new types of chemical weapons, as well as from stationing chemical weapons in those States where there are no such weapons at present.

C

The General Assembly,

Recalling its resolution 35/144 C in which, inter alia, it decided to carry out an impartial investigation to ascertain the facts pertaining to reports regarding the alleged use of chemical weapons and requested the Secretary-General to carry out such an investigation with the assistance of qualified medical and technical experts,

Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General, to which is annexed the report prepared by the Group of Experts to Investigate Reports on the Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons,

Noting that, as indicated by the conclusions of its report, the Group of Experts has not yet completed the investigations called for under paragraph 5 of General Assembly resolution 35/144 C,

Noting also the views of the Group of Experts concerning the importance of prompt on-site investigation of allegations of the use of chemical weapons and the need to devise appropriate procedures for impartial collection and analysis of samples that may be obtained in the course of any such investigations,

Considering, accordingly, that the Group of Experts should continue its investigations,

1. Takes note with appreciation of the report of the Secretary-General,

2. Requests the Secretary-General, with the assistance of the Group of Experts to Investigate Reports on the Alleged Use of Chemical Weapons, to continue his investigations pursuant to General Assembly resolution 35/144 C and to report to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session.