NEW RESOLUTION ON DECLARATION OF DISARMAMENT DECADE AND
CONVENING UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY SPECIAL SESSION ON DISARMAMENT

The International Association of Peace Messenger Cities (IAPMC), together with representatives of observer cities, meeting in the 23rd General Assembly of the Association in the Municipality of Morphou, Cyprus, from 4-11 October 2010, on the theme: Human rights for freedom, security and peace:

Reaffirming the Association’s commitment to contribute to the realization of the aims and principles of the United Nations for the strengthening of peace and cooperation between peoples, and pursuant to its statutory aims inter alia “to make our governments understand that nuclear disarmament is of primary necessity…”

Recalling its previous resolutions, petition and urgent appeal calling upon all cities to urge their governments to support (a) the declaration by the United Nations of a Disarmament Decade of the 2010; and (b) the early convening of the Fourth Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly devoted to Disarmament (SSOD-1V)

Recalling that in 2006 the United Nations General Assembly mandated its Disarmament Commission (UNDC) to prepare elements of a draft declaration of the 2010s as the fourth Disarmament Decade and to submit them for consideration to the Assembly before the end of 2009,

Noting with concern that while a large number of delegations to the recent three-week meeting of the UNDC in New York, made constructive proposals that could constitute the elements of the draft declaration, such as upholding the priority of nuclear disarmament and complete elimination of all weapons of mass destruction as a clear and unconditional goal; the immediate start and early conclusion of a treaty banning production of fissile material for nuclear weapons and other nuclear explosive devices; and adoption of universally agreed norms in the field of conventional weapons, the Commission was unable to complete its work and therefore has not submitted any elements of the draft declaration for consideration for the consideration of the UN General Assembly.

Noting also with concern the impasse in the Working Group designated by the UN General Assembly to consider the objectives and agenda for the Fourth Special Session Devoted to Disarmament (SSOD 1V)

Reiterating its conviction that the early and formal declaration of the 2010s as a Disarmament Decade, and convening of the Fourth Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted to Disarmament (SSOD 1V) are an integral part of the global process of mobilizing the international community, including non-governmental organizations and civil society, for further and timely action to eliminate nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and control the menace of conventional weapons,

Reiterating also the linkage between those objectives and the efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,

Appeals to Member States of the UN Disarmament Commission (UNDC), to muster the necessary political will to achieve consensus on the elements for the draft declaration of the Disarmament Decade. Further appeals to members of the Working Group on SSOD-1V, to demonstrate a similar resolve for an early conclusion of deliberations on the objectives and draft agenda of the Fourth Special Session of the UN General Assembly devoted to Disarmament.

Requests the Secretary-General of IAPMC to transmit this resolution to all Member States of the United Nations, and relevant major peace and disarmament organizations,

Encourages member cities of the International Association of Peace Messenger Cities and representatives of observer cities present at this 23rd General Assembly of the Association to assist in mobilizing national, regional and international support for this resolution.

Adopted in Morphou
8 October 2010