International Court Of Justice And Nuclear Weapons

EDM number 1132 in 1995-96, proposed by Harry Cohen on 09/07/1996.

That this House welcomes the advisory opinion of the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons handed down by the International Court of Justice on 8th July; notes that unanimous opinion of the Court that a threat or use of force by means of nuclear weapons that is contrary to the United Nations Charter is unlawful; notes also the unanimous opinion of the Court that a threat or use of nuclear weapons should also be compatible with the requirements of international law applicable in armed conflict, particularly those of the principles and rules of international humanitarian law; reveals that the primary purpose of international humanitarian law is to separate combatants from non-combatants, which nuclear weapons, by their indiscriminate nature, cannot; notes further the unanimous opinion of the Court that there exists an obligation to pursue in good faith and bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament in all its aspects under strict and effective international control; and calls on the Government to fulfil its international legal obligations to achieve a nuclear-weapon-free world.

This motion has been signed by a total of 32 MPs.