242. Editorial Note
In early November 1962, the U.N. General Assembly considered resolutions calling for the suspension of nuclear testing. On November 5, Committee One debated and voted on a two-part resolution. Section A was a 37-nation proposal, which was revised and approved in Committee One. Section B, introduced by the United Kingdom and the United States, urged, among other things, the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee “to seek the conclusion of a treaty with effective and prompt international verification which prohibits nuclear weapon tests in all environments for all time.” A summary of the proceedings and voting on these resolutions in Committee One is in a memorandum from Harlan Cleveland to Secretary of State Rusk, November 5. (Department of State, Central Files, 700.5611/11-562)
On November 6, the U.N. General Assembly voted separately on the preamble and on each of the seven paragraphs of Section A. The preamble and all but two paragraphs were adopted unanimously, although many nations abstained on several of the votes. The United Kingdom and the United States were among 10 nations voting against paragraph 2, which asked that all nuclear tests “should cease immediately and not later than 1 January 1963.” The Soviet bloc constituted the 10 nations voting against paragraph 6, which recommended that in the absence of a test ban agreement by January 1, 1963, the nuclear weapons states should agree immediately to prohibit testing in the atmosphere, outer space, and under water, accompanied by an “interim arrangement” suspending all underground tests, “such interim agreement to include adequate assurances for effective detection and identification of seismic events by an international scientific commission.” Section A as a whole was adopted by a vote of 75-0, with 21 abstentions. The General Assembly adopted Section B by a 51-10 vote, with 40 abstentions. The Soviet bloc constituted the 10 negative votes.
For text of Resolution 1762 (XVII) and additional details on the voting on each section in Committee One and the General Assembly, see Documents on Disarmament, 1962, volume II, pages 1029-1033; and Yearbook of the United Nations, 1962, pages 9-13 and 20-26.