Page 116 - 100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International_V-Petrovsky_private special edition

100 Reflections that Crafted Geneva International

weapons, which it modified and re-introduced in the CD and at the NPT
Fourth Review Conference in 1990. At that Review Conference non-aligned
non-nuclear-weapon States continued to advocate legally binding negative
assurances in an international instrument or some other arrangement, and all
five nuclear-weapon States reaffirmed once again their respective unilateral
commitments.

In 1994, the item was considered in the Conference on Disarmament
against the background of the forthcoming 1995 NPT Review and Extension
Conference. The Ad Нос Committee exchanged views оn nuclear threat
perception, potential dangers to national and international security, the scope
of guarantees and the right to protection, the beneficiaries and providers of
guarantees, the scope and type of sanctions in а system of collective security,
including а possible role for the United Nations, and the framework of а
possible agreement.

Delegations expressed their readiness to engage in а search for а mutually
ассерtаble solution to this issue. On 31 March 1994 the non-aligned Group
issued а declaration wherein it reaffirmed the need to conclude а multilateral
agreement of а legally binding character, and in this context, suggested some
principles on the basis of which such an agreement could be negotiated within
the Conference on Disarmament. Some delegations belonging to the non-
aligned Group reiterated their view that non-nuclear weapon States parties to
the NPT or to nuclear weapon-free zones, or who had signed а comprehensive
safeguards agreement with the IAEA, were entitled to legally binding
comprehensive security assurances, which would not be limited in scope,
framework or duration, since they had already fulfilled their own engagement
towards non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament. They also proposed, as а
possible alternative to an international convention, adding to the Non-
Proliferation Treaty an additional protocol embodying legally binding nuclear
security assurances.

The Western Group recognized the legitimacy of the request of non-
nuclear-weapon States, however, it emphasized that security assurances should
only be extended to non­nuclear-weapon States which were in compliance with
commitments under the Non-Proliferation Treaty or any comparable interna-
tionally binding agreements not to manufacture or acquire nuclear explosive
devices. А number of delegations also supported the idea of а multilateral-
ly­negotiated international agreement or а mandatory United Nations Security
Council resolution on the issue of security assurances. China supported the

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