Written Statement of the Covernmentof Colombia ,...
EMBAJADA DE COLOMBIA
SUBMISSIONBY TAE REPUBLIC OF COLOMBIA TO THE INTERNATIONAL
COLIROF JUSTICEON THE LEGAGITY OF TtIEUSE OF NUCLEARUEAWNS
In view of the Republic of Colombia,the nuclear dilemma that
the world has to confronttoday must focus attentionon the
basic illegitimacyof nuclearweapons.
Colombiais of the opinion that withthe end ofthe Cold War,
if not al1 problemscan be solved, at least those that were at
the core of the issue such as nuclear deterrencehave reached
a point of maturity in which the International Court of
Justice can declare that the use of nuclearweapons cannotbe
considered a legitimate mean of self defense - if it ever
was - and that a commitmentmust be made by al1 nuclear powers
to the total destruction of these weapons.
Reducing the number of nuclear weapons is no longer
nuclear weaponsarsenals and for persistingon a doctrinethatng
threatenstheir use.
Just as the internationalcommunity has decided to ban the
development, use, stockpiling and production of chemical,
Diological and bacteriological weapons to prevent their
proliferationand the awesome consequencesf their use, so
should the world proceed ban the production,possesionand
nse of nuclearweapons.
Freventingproliferation of nuclear weapons hasto be linked
to banning the existence of these weapons everywhere.
Therefore, the question of the non proliferation of these
weapons cannotbe approached without a firm commitment to
disarmamentand their ultimateelimination.Any departurefrom
this course would be anevasion of the real problem faced by
the international community withthe existence of nuclear
weapons.
Taking also into considerationthe Resolutions adoptedby the
effects of the useof nuclearweapons on the life andhealth the
of al1 populations as well as for climaticdisturbances,mass
starvationand completesocial desintegration,Colombia values
and supportsthe proposa1for petitioning the International
Court of Justiceto render an advisory opinion on the legality
of the use of nuclearweapons.
An advisory opinion from theInternationalCourt of Justiceon
this issue would mostlikely interpret the law as applied to
every nation, without discriminating between t"heational
nucleary"aweapon States toxemjustify theiraw own manufacture,
developmentand deploymentof such weapons.Such advisory opinion would also answer the argumentbeing
raised now, that dom-scaled nuclear weapons arsenals must be
producedand kept in order to cope with emerging small nuclear
forces in unstableand aggresive 'countries. This rationale
r hi cpretendsto legitimatethe use of nuclear weapons,even
of their dom-scaled version, is a dangerous path that should
not be taken or permittedby the international community.
. .,
Written Statement of the Government of Colombia