Declaration on the banning of weapons of mass destruction/initiative for the formation of a "Peoples' Security Council"
Reykjavik/Iceland, 27 November 1997
Vienna/Austria, 28 November 1997/P/K/15733c-is
Mr. Elias Davidsson has informed international NGOs on the following resolution proposal for a "Peoples' Security Council" to be formally established by non-governmental organizations concerned about world peace and human rights:
"The Peoples' Security Council,
concerned about the threat to world peace and security represented by the possession and deployment of nuclear arms by UN member states, in particular by states wielding special rights within the UN Security Council [permanent members];
concerned about the threat to world peace and security represented by the production and stockpiling of chemical and biological weapons within the territory of states wielding special rights within the UN Security Council [permanent members];
seriously concerned by the systematic and gross violations of international humanitarian law by permanent members of the Security Council, including the wanton and collective punitive measures imposed on several nations of the world in the form of sanctions;
considering that gross violations by UN member states of peremptory norms of international law, such as principles of customary law and the provisions of international humanitarian law, and the failure to prosecute individuals responsible for these violations, undermine the credibility of the UN system and the respect for the rule of law in international relations;
considering that world peace and stability requires the existence of an effective, impartial and equitable international institution representing high moral standards, directly accountable to the peoples of the world, and acting on their behalf;
reaffirming the inalienable rights of human beings to life, health, dignity and development, as enshrined in innumerable international treaties,
A.
Declares that weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical
and biological weapons, are henceforth illegal weapons, and that any act
involving the design, production, transport, deployment, sale or use of
such weapons, constitutes an international criminal offense;
invites all UN member states that possess and/or deploy weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, to destroy their entire stocks of such weapons according to a plan negotiated between themselves and the Peoples' Security Council;
establishes an Independent International Monitoring Commission, composed of eminent scientists, to monitor the implementation of the dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction by UN member states concerned and their continued observance of the ban on such weapons;
requests UN member states to permit free access to personnel of the Independent International Monitoring Commission to all military and civilian facilities within the jurisdiction of member states, according to rules established by the Peoples' Security Council and applicable for all member states;
B. Calls on the permanent members of the UN Security Council to desist henceforth and without delay from any act of commission or of omission which represents a violation of international law and the UN charter, including particularly the imposition of collective punishments on ethnical, religious or national entities;
reminds all UN member states of their duty to respect and ensure respect for the provisions of international humanitarian law, including the requirement of prosecution of individuals responsible for the commission of war crimes and other international crimes;
establishes an independent Law Commission, composed of eminent and politically independent jurists, the aim of which will be to advise the Peoples' Security Council of ways and means to empower the general population to resist foreign occupation, state terrorism, international terrorism, genocide, war crimes, gross exploitation, and other gross criminal acts, committed in the name of states;
establishes a Preparatory Committee for the establishment of an International Compensation Fund for Victims of International Criminal Acts;
C. Invites all non-governmental organisations and concerned individuals, regardless of citizenship or residence, to submit comments with regards to the present Resolution."
Comments to the above text may be forwarded to: Peoples' Security Council, c/o Elias Davidsson, archivist, e-mail: edavid@itn.is.