Draft Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons

The States Parties to the present Convention,

Alarmed by the threat to the very survival of mankind posed by the existence of nuclear weapons,

Convinced that any use of nuclear weapons constitutes a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and a crime against humanity,

Desiring to achieve a multilateral, universal and binding agreement prohibiting the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons,

Bearing in mind the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice that there exists an obligation of all States to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control,

Determined, therefore, to achieve a universal nuclear weapons convention prohibiting the development, production, stockpiling and use of nuclear weapons, leading to their ultimate destruction,

Convinced that the present Convention would be an important step in a phased programme towards the complete elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework,

Determined to continue negotiations for the achievement of this goal,

Have agreed as follows:

Article 1

The States Parties to the present Convention solemnly undertake not to use or threaten to use nuclear weapons under any circumstances.

Article 2

The present Convention shall be of unlimited duration.

Article 3

1. The present Convention shall be open to all States for signature. Any State that does not sign the Convention before its entry into force in accordance with paragraph 3 of the present article may accede to it at any time.

2. The present Convention shall be subject to ratification by signatory States. Instruments of ratification or accession shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

3. The present Convention shall enter into force on the deposit of instruments of ratification by twenty-five Governments, including the Governments of the five nuclear-weapon States, in accordance with paragraph 2 of the present article.

4. For States whose instruments of ratification or accession are deposited after the entry into force of the Convention, it shall enter into force on the date of the deposit of their instruments of ratification or accession.

5. The depositary shall promptly inform all signatory and acceding States of the date of each signature, the date of deposit of each instrument of ratification or accession and the date of entry into force of the present Convention, as well as of the receipt of other notices.

6. The present Convention shall be registered by the depositary in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations.

Article 4

The present Convention, of which the Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish texts are equally authentic, shall be deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, who shall send duly certified copies thereof to the Governments of the signatory and acceding States.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being duly authorized thereto by their respective Governments, have signed the present Convention, opened for signature at      on the      day of       one thousand nine hundred and      .