The General Assembly,
 
      Recalling its resolution 50/74 of 12 December 1995 and previous
resolutions referring to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the
Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively
Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects,
 
      Recalling with satisfaction the adoption, on 10 October 1980, of the
Convention, together with the Protocol on Non-Detectable Fragments (Protocol
I),1 the Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby
Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II) and the Protocol on Prohibitions or
Restrictions on the Use of Incendiary Weapons (Protocol III), which entered
into force on 2 December 1983,
 
      Also recalling with satisfaction the adoption, on 13 October 1995, of
the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol IV),
 
      Reaffirming its conviction that a general and verifiable agreement on
prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons would
significantly reduce the suffering of civilians and combatants,
 
      Noting that, in conformity with article 8 of the Convention, conferences
may be convened to examine amendments to the Convention or to any of the
Protocols thereto, to examine additional protocols concerning other categories
of conventional weapons not covered by the existing Protocols or to review the
scope and application of the Convention and the Protocols annexed thereto and
to examine any proposed amendments or additional protocols,
 
      Welcoming the fact that the Review Conference of the States Parties to
the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain
Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to
Have Indiscriminate Effects met at resumed sessions at Geneva from 15 to 19
January 1996 and from 22 April to 3 May 1996 and concluded its work,
 
      Particularly welcoming the adoption on 3 May 1996 of the amended
Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and
Other Devices (Protocol II),
 
      Recalling the desire expressed by the States party to the Convention
that all States, pending the entry into force of the amended Protocol, respect
and ensure respect for the substantive provisions of the amended Protocol to
the fullest extent possible,
 
      Also recalling the role played by the International Committee of the Red
Cross in the elaboration of the Convention and the Protocols annexed thereto,
 
      Welcoming the national measures adopted by an increasing number of
Member States relating to bans, moratoriums or restrictions on the transfer,
use or production of anti-personnel landmines or to the reduction of existing
stockpiles of such mines,
 
      Desirous of reinforcing international cooperation in the area of
prohibitions or restrictions on the use of certain conventional weapons, in
particular for the removal of minefields, mines and booby traps,
 
      Recalling, in this respect, its resolution 50/82 of 14 December 1995 and
previous resolutions on assistance in mine clearance,
 
      Noting with appreciation contributions pledged to the Voluntary Trust
Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance,
 
      1.    Registers its satisfaction with the report of the
Secretary-General;
 
      2.    Welcomes the fact that additional States have ratified or accepted
the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain
Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to
Have Indiscriminate Effects, which was opened for signature in New York on 10
April 1981, or have acceded to the Convention;
 
      3.    Urgently calls upon all States that have not yet done so to take
all measures to become parties, as soon as possible, to the Convention and its
Protocols, and upon successor States to take appropriate measures so that
ultimately adherence to these instruments will be universal;
 
      4.    Calls upon the Secretary-General, in his capacity as depositary of
the Convention and the Protocols annexed thereto, to continue to inform it
periodically of ratifications and acceptances of and accessions to the
Convention and the Protocols;
 
      5.    Takes note with appreciation of the final report of the Review
Conference of the States Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or
Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to
Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects, adopted at Geneva
on 3 May 1996;
 
      6.    Commends the amended Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on
the Use of Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices (Protocol II) to all States,
with a view to achieving the widest possible adherence to this instrument at
an early date, and calls, in particular, on the States parties to express
their consent to be bound by the Protocol with a view to its entry into force
as soon as possible;
 
      7.    Again commends the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons (Protocol
IV) to all States, with a view to achieving the widest possible adherence to
this instrument at an early date, and calls, in particular, on the States
parties to express their consent to be bound by the Protocol with a view to
its entry into force as soon as possible;
 
      8.    Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-second
session the item entitled "Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the
Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively
Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects".