The General Assembly,
 
      Bearing in mind the relevant United Nations resolutions,
 
      Taking note of the relevant resolutions adopted by the General
Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the latest of which is
resolution GC(40)RES/22 adopted on 20 September 1996, and noting the danger of
nuclear proliferation, especially in areas of tension,
 
      Cognizant that the proliferation of nuclear weapons in the region of the
Middle East would pose a serious threat to international peace and security,
 
      Mindful of the importance of placing all nuclear facilities in the
region of the Middle East under full-scope safeguards of the International
Atomic Energy Agency,
 
      Recalling the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review
and Extension Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons on 11 May 1995, in which the Conference noted with concern
the continued existence in the Middle East of unsafeguarded nuclear
facilities, reaffirmed the importance of the early realization of universal
adherence to the Treaty and called upon all States in the Middle East that had
not yet done so, without exception, to accede to the Treaty as soon as
possible and to place all their nuclear facilities under full-scope
International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards,
 
      Recalling also the decision on principles and objectives for nuclear
non-proliferation and disarmament adopted by the 1995 Review and Extension
Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons on 11 May 1995, in which the Conference urged universal adherence to
the Treaty as an urgent priority and called upon all States not yet party to
the Treaty to accede to it at the earliest date, particularly those States
that operate unsafeguarded nuclear facilities,
 
      Noting that, since the adoption of the aforementioned resolution and
decision on 11 May 1995, Djibouti and the United Arab Emirates have become
parties to the Treaty, and that Oman will become a party to the Treaty at the
earliest date, and noting also that Israel shall be the only State in the
Middle East that has not yet become a party to the Treaty and has not declared
its intention to do so,
 
      Concerned about threats posed to security and stability by the
proliferation of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction in the
region,
 
      Stressing the importance of undertaking confidence-building measures, in
particular the establishment of a nuclear-weapon-free zone in the Middle East,
in order to consolidate the non-proliferation regime and enhance peace and
security in the region,
 
      Noting the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty by the
General Assembly and its signature by one hundred and thirty-two States,
including a number of States in the region,
 
      1.    Welcomes the accession of Djibouti to the Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons on 22 August 1996, as well as the
decision of Oman, expressed by its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
before the General Assembly on 1 October 1996, to accede to the Treaty;
 
      2.    Calls upon the only State in the region that is not yet party to
the Treaty and has not declared its intention to do so, to accede to the
Treaty without further delay, and not to develop, produce, test or otherwise
acquire nuclear weapons and to renounce possession of nuclear weapons, and to
place all unsafeguarded nuclear facilities under full-scope International
Atomic Energy Agency safeguards as an important confidence-building measure
among all States of the region and as a step towards enhancing peace and
security;
 
      3.    Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly
at its fifty-second session on the implementation of the present resolution;
 
      4.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "The risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle
East".