B3-0860, 0904, 0920 and 0941/93

Resolution on the moratoria on nuclear testing

The European Parliament,

A.whereas the moratoria on nuclear testing adopted by France, Russia and the USA are due to expire on 1 July 1993,

B.having regard to its earlier resolutions pointing out the advantages of these moratoria and endeavouring to influence non-signatory states,

C.recalling that the EC Member States, as parties to the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty and to the Non-Proliferation Treaty, have reiterated their commitment to ultimately achieving a comprehensive test ban,

D.whereas the member states of the South Pacific Forum have repeated their call for nuclear testing in the Pacific to cease once and for all,

1.Calls on France, Russia and the United States to extend their moratoria and asks the UK Government to reconsider its policy regarding the moratorium; considers that any decision to restart testing would actively encourage nuclear proliferation;

2.Requests China, the only nuclear power still actively testing, to put an end to these tests and to reconsider its policy regarding the moratorium;

3.Calls on the EC Member States, especially the nuclear powers among them, to recommit themselves to achieving a comprehensive test ban and to making a success of the 1995 NPT Conference, so as to extend this treaty for an indefinite period;

4.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the Chairman of the United Nations Conference on Disarmament in Geneva, and the governments of the United States, Russia and China.