N.Z. plays key role in U.N. call

Press, 4 December 1978, Page 4

N.Z. plays key role in U.N. call

NZPA New York The United Nations Political and Security Committee has overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for the early writing of a full nuclear weapons test ban treaty. New Zealand was the prime mover in getting the resolution drafted. In all, 122 United Nations members voted for it. China registered the only “No” vote and there were six abstentions — Argentina, Cuba, Ethiopia, The Gambia. Fiji and France. The key paragraph urged Britain, the United States and the Soviet Union to speed up their negotiations on a treaty and to try their

c best to write a draft treaty! - for consideration by the new| - Committee on Disarmament! -!at Geneva next year. The 35-member committee,] . replacing the old conference] r of the Committee on Dis-1 armament, will come into! ? being on January 1. s New Zealand will not be a! member. s Drafting of yesterday’s re-, asolution, which began early] this session and in which x New' Zealand played a key] i, role, was complex and diffii, cult. Negotiators tried to find words that Britain, the! d United States and the Soviet s. Union could support while o]also urging them to get a s'move on in drawing up a! ir treaty.