United Nations 1171st GENERAL PLENARY MEETING ASSEMBLY Tuesday, 20 November 1962, at 3 p.m. SEVENTEENTH SESSION 8> Official Records NEW YORK CONTENTS the auspices of the United Nations, was unanimously Page adopted, and thus represented a most encouraging Agenda item 30: example of such co-operation. Report of the United Nations Scientific Com­ 3. Only one draft resolution was submitted in the mittee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation Special Political Committee, and this was eventually Reports of the Special Political Committee co-sponsored by forty-three delegations. Before its and of the Fifth Committee , 767 adoption, it was modified by the incorporation, in a Agenda item 76: revised form, of an amendment originally proposed Report of the InternationalLaw Commission on by the representative of Brazll , who thereafter agreed the work of its fourteenth session to be a eo-sponsor, In the voting, the first section of Reports of the Sixth Committee and of the the draft resolution, which related to the future work Fifth Committee ..........•.•.. .. 769 of the Scientific Committee, was adopted unanimously. The second part, relating to the programme submitted Agenda item 25: by the World Meteorological Organization in response The situation with regard to the implementation to the General Assembly's resolution oflastyear, was of the Declaration on the granting of inde­ adopted by 76 votes to 8, with 2 abstentions. The draft pendence to colonial countries and peoples; resolution as a whole was then adopted by 79 votes to report of the Special Committee established none, with 11 abstentions. Accordingly, I now place under General Assembly resolution 1654 before this Assembly the draft resolution recom­ (XVI) (continued) ...........••.•. .. 769 mended by the Special Political Committee. The text is to be found in paragraph 12 of the report of the Special Political Committee [A/fi285], which Ihave justhad the President: Mr. Muhammad ZAFRULLA KHAN honour to submit to the General Assembly. (Pa ki 5 tan). 4. The PRESIDENT: Members ofthe General Assem­ bly are reminded that they have before them a report of the Fifth Committee [A/5300] on the financial im­ AGENDA ITEM 30 plications of the draft resolution recommended by the Report of the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Special Political Committee [A/4305]. Effects of Atomic Radiation 5. Mr. PAPAGOS (Greece) (translated from French): I have asked for the floor inorder to record the affirm­ REPORTS OF THE SPECIAL POLITICAL COMMIT­ ative vote of my delegation on the draft resolution of TEE (A/5285) AND OF THE FIFTH COMMITTEE the Special Political Committee [AI 5285]. (A/5300) Pursuant to role 68 of the rules ofprocedure, it was 6, This draft resolution, which was originally sub­ decided not todiscuss the report ofthe Special Polttical mitted by forty-three countries, reflects the acute Committee. anxiety of the whole of mankind in the face of the dan­ ger which threatens it. At the same time, it brings 1. Mr. LANNUNG (Denmark), Rapporteur of the out the deep awareness ofthe responsible Governments Special Political Committee: I have the honour to sub­ of the need for the United Nations Scientific Committee mit to the General Assembly the report of the Special on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, and the usefulness Political Committee concerning item 30 ofthe agenda. of establishing a world-wide network of stations for The Special political Committee this year devoted six measuring the level of radio-activity. meetings to the examination of the secondcomprehen­ sive report of the United Nations Scientific Committee 7. The affirmative vote of the Greek delegation ex­ on the effects of atomic radiation [A/5216]. Although presses the profound satisfaction with which we have this was a voluminous, technical report running to well taken note of the report of the Scientific Committee over four hundred pages, it was clear that all the [A/5216] and of the report oftheWorldMeteorological thirty-five representatives who tookpart in the discus­ Organization [A/5253]. Above all, it expresses the sion had studied it carefully and reflectedseriouslyon ardent desire of the Greek Government to witness the the dataset out relating to matters affectingthe health cessation, in the atmosphere, in outer space and under and safetyof present and future generations of mankind. water of nuclear tests capable of producing radio­ All were warm in their praise of the efforts of the active fall-out, with the attendant harmful effects for Scientific Committee and those specialized agencies, mankind today and in future generations. scientific organizations and individual scientists who 8. The Greek delegation is happy to be able to lend had contributed so much to the preparation of the re­ its unreserved support to the endeavours ofthe United port. Nations to promote the study of the effects of atomic 2. It was stressed that the report, which was the radiation and thus open up the way towards protecting result of international scientific co-operation under mankind from the gravest danger that threatens it. 767 A/pv.l171 768 General Assembly - Seventeenth Session - Plenary Meetings 9. Mr. MENSHIKOV (Union of Soviet Socialist Repub­ dangers inherent in all nuclear testing and will work for lies) (translated from Russian): The Special Political their cessation. Our positionon this issue is well known Committee has considered the Report of the, United to all and was explained in greater detail when this Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic question was discussed in the First Committee. Radiation [A/5216]. 18. The Soviet delegation accordingly supported the 10. All the members of the Committee who took part first portion of the draft resolution [A/5285, para. 12] in the debate pointed out that the scientists had done which was adopted unanimously by the Special Political much useful work on the basis ofthe scientific informa­ Committee. However, the secondpart of the draft reso­ tion furnished by states Members ofthe United Nations lution [ibid.• para. 12], dealing with the report of the and by the specialized agencies. World Meteorological Organization, is unacceptable to 11. The Soviet delegation notes with pleasurethat the us. This question was discussed last year and we ob­ assessment of the dangers to mankind inherent in con­ jected then to inviting the World Meteorological Or­ tinued nuclear testing made in the Scientific Commit­ ganization to establish a world-wide network for tee's report fully bears out the need for the immediate monitoring levels of atmospheric radio-activity. cessation of all nuclear tests, large and small, in the atmosphere and in outer space, underwater and under­ 19. During the discussion ofthis question in the World ground. Meteorological Organization and thepreparationofthe report to the General Assembly, our scientists argued 12. The Soviet Government has been a consistent ad­ that atmospheric radio-activity was not a meteorologi­ vocate ofthis view ever since the question first came cal phenomenon, and that, consequently, the monitoring up in the United Nations and in all the committees and of atmospheric radio-activity did not fall within the commissions which have had something to do with this competence of 'the World Meteorological Organization. question. Soviet scientists can derive profound satis­ This principle is laid down in the Convention of the faction from the thought that from the very beginning Organization. of the Scientific Committee's work, they have adopted the correct attitude that all nuclear weapons tests 20. The Soviet scientists' opinion was not, however, are a danger to mankind and must be stopped. They taken into account orreflected in the report. The ques­ have consistently defended this position at all sessions tion whether or not it would be advisable to entrust of the Scientific Committee despite the attempts made this new activity to the World Meteorological Organi­ by certain Western Powers to show that nuclear tests zation should be considered first at its next World are "harmless" and to prove their theory concerning Congress, which will be held in April 1963. Until the the so-called "threshold" up to which radiation is safe. Congress reaches a decision, it would be premature for the General Assembly to do so. 13. They had to do this to justify the testing of nuclear .weapona. 21. We also think that as the question of atmospherfc radio-activity is already being dealt with by the United 14. The Soviet delegation wishes to recall that the Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Scientific Committee has reached the conclusion that: Radiation and the International Atomic Energy Agency "As there are no effective measures to preventthe (IAEA), it would hardly be advisable to involve the occurrence of harmful effects of global radio-active World Meteorological Organization in the matter as contamination from nuclear explosions, the achieve­ well. ment of a final cessation of nuclear tests would benefit present and future generations of mankind" 22. When the draft resolutionsubmitted by the Special [ibid.• chapter VII, para, 52] Political Committee is put to the vote, the Soviet dele­ gation will be guided by the foregoing considerations. and, at the same time, to draw the attention of the States Members of the United Nations to yet another 23. In this connexion the Soviet delegation proposes conclusion by the Scientific Committee concerning that the first and second portions of the draft resolu­ the dangers inherent in underground nuclear explo­ tion should be put to the vote separately. sions. 24. The PRESIDENT: The Assembly will now vote on 15. The report of the Scientific Committee indicates the draft resolution contained in the report of the that as a result of underground explosions: Special Political Committee (A/5285). section by sec­ "some leakage of radio-active vapours may occur. tion. SectionI of the draft resolution was adopted unani­ Since the radio-activity of some fission products mously in the Special Political Committee.