UN General Assembly
1988

In an age of apocalyptic destructive power, co-operation to reduce the means of war has become a categorical imperative. The international community has set itself clearly defined priorities in disarmament as contained in the Final Document of the first special session of the General Assembly devoted to disarmament, held in 1978. At the top of the list is the need to prevent the outbreak of nuclear war. Non-aligned States have already stated that the use of nuclear weapons, besides being a violation of the Charter of the United Nations, would also be a crime against humanity. To this end they have urged all nuclear-weapon States, pending the achievement of nuclear disarmament, to sign a binding instrument forswearing the use of nuclear weapons. It would also be desirable, in the interim, for the nuclear-weapon States to make a solemn declaration that they will not be the first to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons. At the same time, the Conference on Disarmament must seek ways of fulfilling its mandate with regard to the item on the prevention of nuclear war with which it has been charged by the General Assembly.