The General Assembly,
Recalling its resolutions 40/152 O of 16 December 1985, 41/86 Q of 4 December 1986, 42/42 F of 30 November 1987, 43/81 B of 7 December 1988 and 45/65 of 4 December 1990,
Noting that the critical importance of verification of and compliance with arms limitation and disarmament agreements is universally recognized,
Stressing that the issue of verification of and compliance with arms limitation and disarmament agreements is a matter of concern to all nations,
Recognizing that the United Nations, in accordance with its role and responsibilities established under the Charter, can make a significant contribution in the field of verification, in particular of multilateral agreements,
Affirming its continued support for the sixteen principles of verification drawn up by the Disarmament Commission,
Noting that recent developments in international relations have underscored the continuing importance of effective verification of existing and future arms limitation and disarmament agreements, and that some of these developments have significant effects on the role of the United Nations in the field of verification, which require careful and ongoing examination,
Taking note of the report of the Secretary-General pursuant to the statement adopted by the Summit Meeting of the Security Council on 31 January 1992, containing his analysis and recommendations on ways of strengthening and making more efficient, within the framework and provisions of the Charter, the capacity of the United Nations for preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-keeping and post-conflict peace-building,
Taking note also of the Final Declaration of the Third Review Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction, adopted on 27 September 1991, and the activities of the Ad Hoc Group of Governmental Experts on verification,
Welcoming the conclusion of the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, which contains an unprecedented regime of verification,
Recalling that in resolution 45/65 it requested the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session on actions taken by Member States and by the United Nations Secretariat to implement the recommendations contained in the concluding chapter of the report of the Group of Qualified Governmental Experts to Undertake a Study on the Role of the United Nations in the Field of Verification,
1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on actions to implement the recommendations in the in-depth study on the role of the United Nations in the field of verification;
2. Encourages Member States to continue to give active consideration to the recommendations contained in the concluding chapter of the study and to assist the Secretary-General in their implementation where appropriate;
3. Requests the Secretary-General, as a follow-up to the study on the role of the United Nations in the field of verification and in view of significant developments in international relations since that study, to seek the views of Member States on:
(a) Additional actions that might be taken to implement the recommendations contained in the study;
(b) How the verification of arms limitation and disarmament agreements can facilitate United Nations activities with respect to preventive diplomacy, peacemaking, peace-keeping and post-conflict peace-building;
(c) Additional actions with respect to the role of the United Nations in the field of verification, including further studies by the United Nations on this subject;
4. Also requests the Secretary-General to submit a report on the subject to the General Assembly at its forty-eighth session;
5. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its forty-eighth session the item entitled "Verification in all its aspects, including the role of the United Nations in the field of verification".
81st plenary meeting
9 December 1992
