Primary Document

Minutes of 13/03/1997 - Provisional Edition

Non-Proliferation Treaty

B4-0197, 0221, 0241 and 0253/97

Resolution on the Non-Proliferation Treaty

The European Parliament,

- having regard to its previous resolutions on non-proliferation,

A. whereas the first nuclear NPT Preparatory Committee (Prepcom) since the Treaty's indefinite extension in 1995 will

meet on 7-18 April 1997 inNew York,

B. recalling the active role played by the EU during the NPT Review Conference in May 1995,

C. whereas the NPT Conference in 1995 resulted in agreements on strengthening the review process of the Treaty,

principles and objectives for nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament and an indefinite extension of the Treaty,

D. welcoming the conclusion of the negotiations for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and its adoption by the

UN General Assembly in September 1996 and the signature by all Member States of the Union, and believing early

ratification to be essential,

E. believing moves towards nuclear disarmament by the nuclear weapons states to be an essential complement to

non-proliferation measures taken under the Treaty and in other fora, according to their obligations under Article 6 of the

NPT,

F. whereas the first Prepcom will establish a precedent for the future review of the NPT,

G. believing that the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the report of the Canberra Commission

and the statement by former generals and admirals of 4 December 1996 on the obligation to pursue nuclear disarmament in

good faith are important contributions to the implementation of Article 6 of the NPT,

H. welcoming resolution 51/45M of the UN General Assembly on the advisory opinion of the ICJ and calling for the

commencement of negotiations leading to a nuclear weapons convention in 1997,

1. Calls on the Council to make sure the Prepcom is used to assess progress made on the 1995 principles and objectives

and to make concrete recommendations to the next Prepcom and to the Review Conference in the year 2000;

2. Calls on the Council to focus on making the implementation of the Treaty as efficient as possible and to promote the

universality of the Treaty;

3. Calls on the Council to adopt a common position aimed at promoting the review process and strengthening the NPT and

further EU non-proliferation policy;

4. Calls on all Member States of the European Union to ratify the CTBT urgently, and to adopt a joint action under Article

J.3 TEU to promote signature and ratification by other states, to include all necessary assistance to these states to enable

them to comply with the provisions of the Treaty;

5. Calls on the Member States to support the commencement of negotiations in 1997 leading to the conclusion of a

convention for the abolition of nuclear weapons;

6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission and the President of the first

NPT Prepcom.