B4-0868, 0874, 0895, 0906 and 0930/95

Resolution on nuclear testing

The European Parliament,

-having regard to its resolutions on nuclear testing and on the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT),

-having regard to its resolution of 5 April 1995 on extension of the NPT, calling on the Member States to put every effort into bringing about the speediest possible conclusion of a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the Geneva Conference and to take joint action to this end under Article J.3 of the Treaty on European Union,

-having regard to its call in that resolution to the Member States, pending the abovementioned joint action, expressly to refrain from any nuclear testing,

A.whereas the recent Review and Renewal Conference of the NPT committed the nuclear powers to concluding the negotiations for a CTBT at the Conference on Disarmament before the end of 1996,

B.whereas the United States, the Russian Federation and the UK are observing a moratorium on nuclear tests initiated by France, while the People's Republic of China continued its nuclear testing programme only four days after the Non-Proliferation Treaty was renewed indefinitely,

C.having regard to the announcement by the French Government that it will carry out a programme of eight nuclear tests from September 1995 to May 1996 and its insistence that the decision is irrevocable, while at the same time noting its reiteration that it will support the CTBT in 1996,

D.whereas the 15 member countries of the Pacific Forum and the Governments of Chile, Peru and Ecuador have warned France of their opposition to the resumption of nuclear tests at Mururoa, and whereas the Governments of New Zealand and Australia have already suspended military cooperation with France in response to the decision,

1.Expresses its shock at the decision by the French President and urges France to reconsider it;

2.Condemns the continuing nuclear testing by the People's Republic of China and calls on its government to join in the international moratorium on nuclear tests forthwith;

3.Warns that if nuclear powers breach the spirit or letter of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, other states are likely to follow suit;

4.Calls on the UK Government publicly to declare its own moratorium on nuclear testing;

5.Reiterates its call for joint action under Article J.3 of the Treaty on European Union with a view to the conclusion of a CTBT before the end of 1996;

6.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, all the governments which signed the NPT and the Chairman of the UN Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.