New hope for a comprehensive test ban

Abstract

In 1985, the United Nations adopted a record number of resolutions (66) covering almost every conceivable measure of disarmament. Unfortunately, the substantive resolutions will remain, as they have for the last six years, totally unimplemented. One resolution, however, put forward for the first time contains a novel approach that might lead in due course to the achievement of a ban on all nuclear testing. At the very least, it holds out more hope for action than previous approaches. Sponsored by Mexico and five other nonaligned countries, the resolution recommends that the parties to the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963 should carry out urgent consultations among themselves as to the advisability and most appropriate method to take advantage of the amendment procedure in Article II of the Treaty for the conversion of the partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty into a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. The General Assembly adopted the resolution by an overwhelming majority of 121 votes to three, with 24 abstentions. The Soviet Union and its allies voted for the resolution and only the United States, the United Kingdom, and France voted against it; a few Western and a few nonaligned and neutral countries abstained. China did notmore » participate in the voting.« less