Disarmament Diplomacy

2008 First Committee Resolutions

Other Weapons of Mass Destruction

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63/88 (L.11)
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction.

Introduced by Hungary.

After substantial revisions in 2007 following the successful outcome of the Sixth Review Conference, this annual resolution includes technical updates to resolution 62/60 and revises language on the outcome of the Conference. Its key paragraphs continue to call for universalization of the Convention and for states to continue sharing data as agreed to at the Third Review Conference. Relating to the Sixth Review Conference, the drafters further streamlined redundant paragraphs and emphasized implementation of the Conference's outcome document. New paragraphs welcome the launching of the 2007-2010 intersessional process and urge parties to continue working closely with the Implementation Support Unit and Office of Disarmament Affairs.

First Committee: without a vote
General Assembly: without a vote

Delegations, including those representing Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, the Non-Aligned Movement, and others, offered laudatory remarks on the implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the 2006 Sixth Review Conference, during the general and thematic discussions. In particular, these delegations commended the progress of the intersessional programme of work, including the August 2008 meeting of experts, which focused on biosafety and biosecurity measures and on development of a code of conduct to prevent misuse of bioscience and biotechnology. Outside the scope of the intersessional programme of work, members of the NAM renewed their calls for negotiation of a binding verification protocol. The NAM and Rio Group also renewed their calls for universalization of the BWC.

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63/36 (L.12*)
Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons: report of the Conference on Disarmament.

Introduced by Belarus.

This triennial resolution, last introduced in 2005, is entirely unchanged from resolution 60/46, which was solely opposed in the First Committee and the General Assembly by the United States. Recalling past resolutions of the General Assembly, its key operative paragraph "reaffirms that effective measures should be taken to prevent the emergence of new types of weapons of mass destruction". To this end, the resolution continues to request the CD to keep the matter under review and to recommend negotiations if any such weapons are identified, further calling on states "to give favourable consideration to those recommendations". Procedural paragraphs direct the Secretary-General to forward relevant session documents to the CD and requests the CD to report any progress to the General Assembly.

First Committee: 167-1-1
General Assembly: 175-1-1

The CD established an ad hoc committee on this item from 1979-1992. In 2005, the United States broke consensus on this resolution. The United States again cast the solitary vote against it in 2008, and Israel abstained. The US delegation reiterated its view that the international community should focus on existing problems, noting no new weapons of mass destruction have appeared since 1948, when the UN decided on the definition of the term.

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63/48 (L.17)
Implementation of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction.

Introduced by Poland.

This annual resolution has been revised to reflect the consensus outcome of Second Review Conference and to place greater emphasis on the technological and economic development of parties. The resolution continues to reaffirm the obligation of parties to destroy their stocks within the allotted time limits and to highlight the contribution of full implementation, including Articles VII and X, to fighting terrorism. A new paragraph stresses the importance of Article X, relating to protection against use of chemical weapons. Ahead of the paragraph emphasizing the importance of Article IX provisions relating to technological and economic development, a new paragraph (OP11) underlines that the Convention shall be implemented in a manner that avoids hampering the technological or economic development of parties. In addition, the paragraph that highlights the contribution of the Convention to international peace and security has been expanded to enumerate those benefits.

First Committee: without a vote
General Assembly: without a vote

Delegations generally welcomed the consensus outcome of the Second CWC Review Conference during the general and thematic discussions, but otherwise repeated their national positions on their respective priority issues, most of which continue to be reflected in the resolution. The new language in the current resolution mostly reflects the positions and priorities of the Non-Aligned Movement. However, although the Non-Aligned Movement continues to call for remaining declared chemical weapons-possessing states to complete destruction of their stockpiles by the final extended deadline of 29 April 2012, the language in the resolution continues to reflect more moderate positions, including those of the European Union.

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63/53 (L.25)
Measures to uphold the authority of the 1925 Geneva Protocol.

Introduced by Indonesia on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

This parsimonious biennial resolution, which includes only technical updates from resolution 61/61, recalls the 1925 Geneva Protocol for the Prohibition of the Use in War of Asphyxiating, Poisonous or Other Gases, and of Bacteriological Methods of Warfare and calls for its strict observance. It also urges the states that maintain reservations to the Protocol to withdraw them and requests the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the resolution to the 65th General Assembly.

First Committee: 161-0-3
General Assembly: 174-0-4

As in past years, Israel and the United States, joined by the Marshall Islands, abstained in the First Committee. Palau joined the abstainers in the General Assembly.

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63/60 (L.34)
Measures to prevent terrorists from acquiring weapons of mass destruction.

Introduced by India.

This annual resolution, which includes minor updates from resolution 62/33, acts out of concern over "the growing risk of linkages between terrorism and weapons of mass destruction". To ensure wide support, it acknowledges a number of related international initiatives, including Security Council resolution 1540 (2004), the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, the 2005 amendments to the Convention for the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material, as well as support expressed for such measures by the Non-Aligned Movement, G8, EU, and ASEAN. The current resolution is updated to reflect entry into force of the Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism, which it continues to appeal to states to join. It continues to call for states to support international efforts and strengthen national measures to prevent terrorist acquisition of WMD and their delivery systems. It again requests the Secretary-General to compile the views of states on additional measures, including national measures, to which it makes explicit reference for the first time.

First Committee: without a vote
General Assembly: without a vote

Although the origin of this resolution, which now has wide, cross-regional co-sponsorship, largely stemmed from India's concerns about the role of Pakistan in Kashmir-related violence, the resolution now goes far wider, acting as a medium for promoting Security Council resolution 1540 (2004) and further developments in international law related to terrorism.

Following routine, Pakistan joined the consensus but delivered a statement repeating its view that the threat of terrorist acquisition of nuclear weapons is a new concept and far less likely than acquisition of biological or chemical weapons. The Pakistanis also repeated their critique of resolution 1540, which they describe as an interim step, stating that the issue must be taken up in a more inclusive UN forum.

Morocco delivered a joint statement on behalf of the US-led Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism on the occasion of its second anniversary. Morocco described the initiative and invited interested states to join it by signing its statement of principles.

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