Ban on testing backed by U.N.

Press, 28 November 1984, Page 1

Ban on testing backed by U.N.

NZPA-AAP New York Tbe United Nations Disarmament Committee today carried an Australian-New Zealand resolution yesterday calling for an early end to all nuclear testing. The vote was won 109 votes to nil, with 26 abstentions, including the Soviet bloc and the United States. The committee also carried Soviet and Mexican resolutions calling for negotiation only on nuclearweapons tests. At tbe same stage last year, a similar vote gained only 99 votes. In the interim, United Nations membership has Increased one, to 159. The unofficial target set by diplomats for what they could call a success was a modest 100-plus votes. The United States abstained on the vote, after it was persuaded that opposition to the strict verification procedures being promoted could contradict President Reagan’s stated views on the need for effective verification of nuclear pacts. The New Zealand Prime Minister, Mr Lange, has welcomed the resolution on the urgent need for a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. “The resolution was not opposed by any of the nuclear weapon States. Its adoption demonstrates the wide support of the international community for a comprehensive nuclear test ban/’ he said.

The two other resolutions were not as far-reaching as the Australian and New Zealand resolution, he said. They provided for the banning of nuclear weapon tests only, not all nuclear explosions, and did not achieve such a good result. Mr Lange said it was now up to the nuclear weapon States to respond to world opinion as expressed in the United Nations.