Written Statementof the Covernmentof Samoa PERWhi MISSIONFSANOA
TUTHE L'NïïNATIONS
320Secodvenu'NenYorN.Y.0017
Tel.12)599-619Fax(212)599-0797
LEGALm OF THEUSE.BY A STATE OF NUCLE.4.R W'EAPONS
13 ARMEDCONFLICï ..
(REQLXST FOR A.DTrTSOR OPISIOPui
'fie (;ovement ofthelndependent State of 'WesternSamoa (Samoa)
refers to the request frotheWorld HeaIth Organization (WHO) for
an advisory opinion of the International Court ofJwti(the Court) on
the foiiowh~gquestiox
"In viewof the health and environmentai effecwoulù the use of
nudear weapons by a Stateinwar or other armes3confEictbe abreach
-
of its obligations under international law mclutheg'CSFI0
Constitution?" -. ~
Samoa has a long-standing concern and interesm îhe health and
environmental effects of the use of nuclear weapons amember of
the South Pa& Forum andof the LinitedSations, ikm repeatedly
condemned the tesüng ofnwlear weapons, particularly in thePacific
re~on, because of theuhealth and eniironmentd effects. Samoa isa
tothe Souîh Paciûc Yudear Free Zone Treaty wiiiehprohibits
the stationhg of nuclear weaponson the territories of parties to the
treaty.
Samoa considers that JIHOhas the mandate and the kgal conpetence
to seeithe requested opinion from the Courf and that isappropriateand degrablefoFWHO to do so.IXk ispartkuhb dearfiozedK
Constitution WB0 and its practicas reîkctin ahg iine of
resohitioilstheWodd 'He& ,kmbb refatmg to humankdh, the
en&-$ nuckar and otheaweapom, -t 4 ther& of
physicb~-m thepresemation and promotion of peacAs a -ber of
TVïiO,Samoa supportedtheWorid Health.Wb@ resokrtioWK4
46.aof 14 May 1993reqwsting ttrCourt's advtsoryopinion
The authority IViiO to seek advisory opinions theCourt is
provided fom .Mcle 96(2)of the Charter theUnitedNations,
ArticlX of* Agreement between theUnited Nab and~X0
approved by thLPIGeneral -4ssembiyon15Sovember 1917and
-4rtic76 of ConstitutionWHO. The Preamble tothe WHO
CuxtstiîntisetsoutaserieSriofsipcrhcipterecognkhg the
fundamental importancein the protection and euhancement of human
hem and their necessaryinterdependence withrelated factors
incluàingthe environment and internationai peasecmity.
WHO report$ haveconcùrdedthat evea limitedmciear co&t
wodd have devastahg effeconheaM and theenW~~nent;
and thatîheonlyappr& tothetreatment of Wth efk& of nwbr
war isprimaryprevention, this,heprevention of nuclear war.
The InternationalCourt hstke isthe principal juàiorgan of the
TJniteiri'athsArtic le, UN Charter. Its opinionthelegatityof
theuse of nuclex weapons wouthus provide authoritatgindance
onthe questiowiiichwould assiWHO m itown task towaràs
primq prevention
'~eecg.nrHA 13.5(1960W;Et413;6(196û);I3.A15.(l%2);WH-4-
17.451964)~~ 2054(1967);WH423.53(1970W;4 3224 (1979b
33.2(lm): WH4 34.3(1981)W:H.4 34.38 (1W1K4 36.2(1983W;K4
a24 !198T);H4 4124(1989)FIHA 33.2(1990m:.1.fi31(1992%and
RB4 A6.20(1993).
-MY& ofNuclearWaronHdtb md He& ServiceNO, Chteva, 1984;
Etfects HNuclServie(ServicesdB&ml WHO,
Genevalm.Samoa considers that thuse of nuclear wea- by a state 8i war or
other armed ~)nfact would 6euiVihtion of mternatid -tom
and conventions.inchhg the Base Conventionsand the Geneva
Cmverttiorts.Such law and conventhm prohibitthe useofweapons
which cannot discriminate betweenciviüansand combatants, wbkh
cause mecessary dering, pvhichwolate the neutraljurkkfh of
non-participa- states, which causwidespread,kmg-term and severe
damage to the entkori~ient, whkhuse poisonortsgasor analogoias
Iiquids or materials, or whichare disproportionatothe antecedent
provocation. The use of such weapons would alsviolatecertomarp and
cmventional ndes adopted toprotect hiintanhealthaRdthe
environmenf inchidhg theWXO Constitution
Fwthermore, U> Gemd -&M~ ,supported by a
great majorie-ofstatesinchhg Samoa, have declareà that theuseof
nuclear weapons wouid bea crime aght humanityand a vioiation of
fie t% Charter.
Samoa shares the viewgenerally accepteàammg nationtshat tfte
use ofnuclear weapons is%gai, andbetievesthat anaàvkry opinion
from the Court connrming that biewwould be animpoda~t step
towards the prohibition of tuse of nuclear weaponsandtheir
eiimùiation Samoa wSlcontinueto work towiuds the cornpiete
efmiiimtionofsuch weaponr
3~eeex-, L3GA ResolutiorKi(X\T) of24November 1961.33i71B of 14
December 1978,34/83G ofIkcember lm, 35/152Dcû lsDecember1980.
of9December1981,371100C of 1December1981,39163H of 17kmber 1W.
JO1151oFf16December 1985,ff6E of December 1988UJ117C of 15December
1989,45159 oB4December1990and a1176B o16ïkcember 1993.
Written Statement of the Government of Samoa