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Australian Delegation, United Nations, to Department of External Affairs

Savingram 28, NEW YORK, 21 November 1949

Ad Hoc Committee[1] - Reduction of Armaments.

Following is text of resolution adopted 19th November 42 - 5 - 5.

‘The General Assembly, 1. Recalling its resolution 192 (iii) of 19th November 1948[2], …

[matter omitted]

3. Approves the proposals formulated by the Commission for Conventional Armaments for the submission by Member States of full information on their conventional armaments and armed forces and the verification thereof, as constituting the necessary basis for the implementation of the above mentioned recommendation;

4. Considers that the early submission of this information would constitute an essential step towards a substantial reduction of conventional armaments and armed forces and that, on the other hand, no agreement is likely to be reached on this matter so long as each State lacks exact and authenticated information concerning the conventional armaments and armed forces of other States;

5. Notes that unanimity among the permanent members of the Security Council, which is essential for the implementation of the above-mentioned proposals, has not yet been achieved;

6. Recommends therefore that the Security Council, despite the lack of unanimity among its permanent members on this essential feature of its work, continue its study of the regulation and reduction of conventional armaments and armed forces through the agency of the Commission for Conventional Armaments in accordance with its plan of work, in order to make such progress as may be possible;

7. Calls upon all members of the Security Council to co-operate to this end.’[3]

_[1] That is, the Ad Hoc Political Committee of the General Assembly.

[2] Document 213.

[3] The committee submitted the draft resolution to the General Assembly which adopted it on 5 December 1949 by a vote of 44 to 5 with 5 abstentions.

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[AA : A1838, 852/10/4]