Lettedate d5June1995fi-omthPemanent.&p~entative ofSamoato
theUniteNationstogethewithWritteStatemenofthe
Govanment ofSamoa ?ZRTOTE c?lrZL >.C?OYS
63Sewnc.+.re,Sea ?or!i.YI:Wii:
Tei.:212) j99.0i46?z i2:'2:j99.;797
The Govzmmenrof the Independcnr Stateof WesremSamoa(Samoa) refers
ro the request fion the Genenl .bscmbiy cT he Unrted Xauons for an
adkïson; opinio onfthe In~ernationalCourt of Ju-tic? (the Corn) on the
foilouing quzstim:
Svnoa believes tinthe qusjon snouldCemwered 3-0."
Samoais a srnailisiand state Ixared ir?iePaciSc Oca. The Pacifie wu
the scae of tbe onlyboscilzES= ofriucleaweapoq and thz sccnc of much
melear explosions for tzs& pqoses. Such nucl-a tes&% hzj had
sidiicant and longtem zEects on tiic hedrh of Pacfic people and rhe
emironment. Samoais net a nmber of a); drary grouping. It Basno
miliw forces and TLhas 30 enernies. De danger to it fïa~ n~uclzar
weaponry is rhatoffalloutfiomsorneme dsr's war. Samoahas a lnrgestake
in de,~din_o i-sen\*ormenr, ad inthes~vk%-a lfthepiminzt.
Samoabecam indepenaerr ici052. ijohd &e WoriàHeaithOr-dtion
t!-~esameyear. and ~e CP>Z:C 33tians iri i37tj.&fore jokg the UnitedXaions. it Decamea paq to thz TrearySanning Nuciear U:eapns Tm i~!
the .~nnospbereinha Spe andLinder Warer in1965,andro the Treq
on theNon-Prolifdon of kclear U'eapor in1975. 1:is apm rc and
mono su~wrtzr of -k SourhPacsc hiucle Faee Zone Treay (Treay of
~aro&a:) wtiich profis rhe sntioning of nucles .ivcapons on L!X
iezi~ories of d~paies to the Trnty. lihas vored for mm? Generai
.Usem'DiyreSoliuionsonnucleardisarmamentissues.
Samoa believes tharhue is2 continuhg threa~of use of nuclz\-c1.cns
ivhrchmvst be addressed by the intedonal commurity. Son>irhszanding
rhe end of tix coldwar, nuclearsratss have yer ro relinq~ushtheirofoiiciss
iïii use, use andthreatof usz of nuciearIV~~~IIS:not alIhave signed
FÏorocols1.2 cr 2 to the Treafyof Rarotongaunderwhith- woulù rehin
Som uing or tbrea~~ai noto use any nuclear explosive dexices annom
rè&s or srrtnoniany nucleardevicesiothearea dehzd by the Trsry.
Samoa places consiàerablsimpnmîe on the rolecf internationah~v in
-o~ening the of Sttres.Ir believeskaan ouinionfrom the Court
wouid cl* rJlle- situagco an6wcdc?be of =sistance rsmali >mes in
~cir eEorrsto protectthemselvesi.othe-&rat or cf nuciexweqns.
Smoz believesthaan advison: opinion ?on rhe Cùm wouid aiso k 3n
impcrii stepiowark a univers&?acce-ea u2 iepiiy binding vrohibirion
on the bear oruszofnzclearW-I?S, and would dso bean impom~ stq
tuFar& theeiimulationof nuclex ive2poni.
On 16 Seprember 1994,Samoasubrnittzdtu th&un tjm ibelievestba tte
ue oinuclear weaponsisillegai. Tniwu inre-5ponsO the quesnon asked
'oytheworld Healtb ûrggszGon whzti~eïtheuse ofnuclw wzapons by a
Srue inwar or otheamed codicr iÿoddbe 2breachof izosbligations under
imernauonal iaw. Samoa *il1 conrinue to ..vork rowardrhz complere
eiiminauon of such weapxs. tic!l'&s the desoucrion of ail eising
nochpiles. Samoa believestht the proiii~irionof rhux or bar of w of nuclez
\veapoosBas ben achevai rmcW geneialinternarionallaw. Inaç ~rcweci
bythe cumdaive rffecofa series orndtdama teahesandof a seriesof
resolunonsofthe Generalkembly. Inparti&, Samoarelies onthe:
-Dechration Renouncine theUs* n TkneofWar:ofExplosive
Projecdes Ender 100&mm2s Wei& (St Paers'mg Dzc~on)
cl865);
-Conven~on (No.IV)Rzs~ecring the LawsandCus~omsoI'%'aron
Sand,dcne at The ~ague,-l907:
- Rotoccl fortheProhibitionof-beUse inWar of-%ïpb,7sating,
Poisonousor Ocher Ga=, and of BacteriologicalMehds of W&S
!1925);
- CharteroftheUnitediLaÛm (1945):
- ConsBrtuionoftheWorldHealthOrgmsition (1946);
- Gene~aCanventionsof 12Au-sr 19d9;
-Surmberç Principles a codifieàby theIncernaionaLaw
commission(1450);
- GènevaProtocol 1 (1977);
- Deciadon on*& F'iohibirion oftheVse aiNuclzar and Tnermc-
XuclearWeapons, G.X.Res. 1653(X\'I) (1961);
- Xon-useoiXucleu W-e~ns zd Prrvenùo~oiKuclear War, G.-4.
Rzs. 33;71B (i9?8);
- Son-use ofNuclearWeapons and -3evenrionoî'u'uclearQ'ar,G..k
R-S.3ji152D (19Sû):
-Son-use of'iuciearWea~~r?s md ?r?ver?Gon oiiuuclear U'ar,'G.-4.
Res. Xi921 (1981);
- Conventionon the Prohibirior!of tUse of NuclearWeapons, G.A.
Res.45i599 (1990) .
- Convenrim on the Prohi'oiricf the UsecÏ Xuciear Weapons, G-4
Res. 46;;iD (1991j.
Samoa funhcr believesht rje combinedvie@ of these ments issa
ovembehg bt the fm~ameoral principizs coutained tfierrin bind aii
stares.The Gzneral .ljsern01y resdirtians ana ueatiewted abve htte airead\-
ka discussed inmany ofthe satemeurs przscniedto L& .ou.r caxerning
the ad-cisoropinionrequested by the Worldfiealch&-mon on rhrhç:
oi nuclear ~~711s. The? ?di no doubt tx ?ao~zssed by others in the
presentpr~eedngs. Samoa daes not proposecorep &se ar=gx-ems ,u:
ir aozs klieve bar i: uilbe hz@fuIfor the Corn to .beapp&d of ';orne
deeply-fel~biewsof a small-statemembe.cftheinte.~-n&onamlm*.
Samoa bziieves bt zhe Gend hszmbly is well withiints powers in
rrquesïkg the ad~iscry opinion, and th* m so fir s the Court has 2
ciiscretion wMer :O responb to îhe question, itinouid cxccis= hr
discretionin fa>-oifuisw~ig.
.%mie 96. para-qn i of the Chmr empowen the Gaaai -4ssembiy to
rquen the '"to_^vz an adtiso- opinicn on legal question.'
iSaaoa's em~hasis.) To the extent thator,pnkaions sucli as the U'orld
'riealtOr=gnizarionare unaer =y limts 011be subjectj about lvhichbey
a2.. ask foradtison; opinionsby ~irnie of the words "on lead queixicns
v v r ; t h r n of 'T' (.:Sunoa'smphis) containxi in
.&nicle96,pagaph 2. here isno such rescictionontheri& of theGznerai
.%sembly. (Samoa dozs noi doubt rhe power of the Worid Health
13rganiution ta rnake itsrzques:; the pointis s&iv- that rhe GenSral
-~ssscmbiy'power is sen c1earer.j Ti12quesùon skzd by me Gentrai
.%semolyis onewiich cm only.beansws:2r?byananalysisof sources oflalv
such a thos? connineciin .&de 35 of the Sratureof tDisCourt. Samoais of
&e qiew that "intemarioral cuson, as eviaznce of a germai pracuce
acceptsd as la%"(intk worS cf .4mc!e 38,param.~h 1.bof the ~tanrtejis
broadsnough tceucûmpass\vililseyai%ed nuidatenl u2aties (evensafaras
no~-ra-g Rares are concemed) and cenain resoiutio~s of inremabonai
orgYÿsanons.
The quesrionvihichme Gznerai.A-ssernblhas askea is, moreover,a question
whicn concem puits fun&& interests hi Gened .&embly and irs
mrmbzrs. The ~enerd Assrrnbb hzs 2 very broad mandate und= rhe
Chmer ro casder marzers&-ecxin z\var and and rile >&val of rhe
planer. .~->cIe11. far esampie, tqoGers ~e .Assemolyro "consider the -eneral prin+les of ceoperationirihe mainrenanceof m~:rnanoriapc2
and secmiry, inciudingthe principles govenins disamame~t and t&
re>-illatofarmm~~, andmaymakerzcommzndaoonswithre-~d to such
pnnciples titihfe~krs orto he Seciaiv Comd or to botb."
.ic&o pursuantIO such=&te, the Generai.%sembiyhas,bè_gimingin its
v~ry rst sessionin 1946, gven careful considedon to the issue of
rii&e5< includr nudear disarmament. IIb- done so ar irs rs=dar
szssions,adrq -cial sessionsand rhrou$ theDisamment Commission
v~hichicr&d and wbich repoi%to it.The.Usemblyfoilowscarefuiiythe
nork oftB+ Cord5rencron Disarmamentwhich mzets in Gzneva. Bo& on
the bajis of the ouageof the Charter and the subszquentpracrice of the
GeneralAssembly,thequesion of the 1egal.yofthethrear or use of nuclsar
.fireapoais of abidingconc70the General.kernbiy.
Smoz is afaithful memherof theEnired Karionsand foiiows closely the
xork of the Generai.ksembly. ILSultimaresuen& iike that of othzr 4
suses, lies in the mie of lIrzhu seiievesthat isvey importantto the
Gend .hsembl? -uid to states iike Samo- that thCorn ansver the
qi~esricrefmed to ibythe Generai&sernbIy.
Samoa does not bziievethar anypronouncemenrDY rbe Cour:sd.ihm
mgoing negotiiarionson nuclear disaniament. On the con-, Smoa
belicves that advice from the COco~&&g the ilie-d~ of the thrat gr
use of nuclzaw~ps w3.ilxa ilecessuy force roii-athcconclilsiocf
currenrnego1ia9onsona conprehe.nsivetsstbanù-mry and a hsile-material
cur+E, wdi dso be a stimuiu13rbecommmcementofnegoüarionson a
convenrionprohioitioandehating cucieu wemns.
itis important iciisconneuion to bear in mina the funcrionof thFirst
Comminee of the Unir*d Nations Generd .Qsenbly and its roi? in the
introciuctionof and adoptionof tSequestionnowbefthi Csourt. The First
Cornminte is resspomibie for recomrnending to uiz Conference on
Disarmament disaraamen; mesures whcn shouid be negotiated. Tne
Committetwod9 norhave - ;Otjc requesforan adkisos opinionÜom
<;liCourt iii 'xiievett.,atsucarequesrxoula underrninein an?w.aythenegouariom on nuciear disamlament. .-Ci neither would the Genzrril
.?jsembly.
Samoa &O kfievestha rn opinion fromthe Coun wouia assis in rbe
impleaienrauonûf ArticleV3of the Treat?;an Ncn-RoEerab'on of TYucla
W;*qms, according rwhch panies to theTreab pidg tharuelves to
"pursueneeotia~~nsingood hth on effectivemaures ~eiatmgto cessation
ofthe nuclev arm~racearanru- clarandto nucleardisannament and ona
catyon -nd ad complere cisamament under sain and tEzctive
internationalconroi." -4pronouncementoiilz_d &om dYs Corn would.
Smoa believes, enhance that negoti~on proces by mph2Ssin,o the
illegaii- orheuse ortbreaiof use of nuclear weaponrmà -11 help ta
brùlghome to publiopinion-2swially innuclea eres - theuhmatz nztd
sr ~uclearcfisannamzntndzr suitableconroi arrangements.
The ar,pnent rfie le>iliry of nuclear weaps relin p- as we
have susgeste& ontB z end -k~rnbIy's pronounczmentson the subject.
1:is notedrharthere areresolutions of the Gened .hsembly, sucRa.s
i653 VVI), which d~ciarethe iüegrrlittherrs of nuclear ad thenno-
iiuckar weqons, ad thengo onroconremplaretbepossibiiiof "convenin;
a spzciaiconfarnc Îcrsi-hg a convenaonon theprohibitionof iheuse oh
nuciearand thmo-nbcizas weapxs for wx pvqmxs.'' Samoa submitsthat
cilrquirement for sucha convenuonam nor azrïact iiam the nohve
-5ec orfthe declaratorypan oirheresoii?uon.
Samoa beiievrs tht;lpmaicz of theGmnl .&setobi):kom the hrstdays
of the or=misaüon sumrts suc4 a submission. :or example,'oneO:'the
eari):resolutions adcptzd byGAlzwas Resolution36(?)on the Crimeof
Genocide. Tnat resolurim afürmed that "genmiae is a crime under
m~emanonalla%whch thecivihed warld condemns." It wrnt on to requesr
ihe Economicand SecialCo~incil"tounderwkethzneces- snidies, with a
Fi;ieto drawi-o up2 àrz3 conventionon the crime of gaocide,'In its
ai>isop opiiiior!on RzservanonsùizConvenuonon thePlmishmentof the
Gku' of Gemiae, 1951I.C.J.4,23, this Coun noted bat "the principles
unaerlyng theCcnvenric~are ?rinciples whicn are recognised by ci~iliszd nario11asoindingon Stares,even~irhautanyconven~maiobii=won." The
jyn? is me hae.
Samoa uàenraads *&aï îtiere maybe nui). reasons far ioliouing up a
dzr~minaïionby 2pAitiCâ1orgm of rheilie,dq of an aaion or sinianon by
rrcq commimts. ?hrsmay beforsuchreasonsas to focusthe ane~on of
iiomesn'cIe$iarive bodies whzre they have a role m rat@ing trea&s, ta
ci* the concrerede& of what mayhave ken stJfTd only at th12\,21 f
ûrinciple, or to proiide farrrgimew deal wirb diantling or prz~enmig
;;lawhichis illegai.That waswha~happened with genocide. The dèhuon
ws mademore conmete. A regime was meated .forirs suppression.Lnrhc:
prcsar instance,aneq regme is stilneuied forthe dt~puc9on of nuclzir
w.e+ns. The law develops step bu stzp. '.h afYmative yiswer to the
Grnerd .ksembly's ques5on.dl, however, coombute mwards nu@in,uthe
ïîegotiaUonsinthe rigbtdirection.
-
? s exrat thaiL& C~urt may consider h&g orai statcienrs Samoa
wouid wish ro avaiiirselfof thu-~~minityro&-e such a hatement orta be
?anof ajointprtsentarioninth reçpzcr.
Letter dated 15 June 1995 from the Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations, together with Written Statement of the Government of Samoa