Am 1.11.2018 beendete das First Committee "Disarmament" der UN-Vollversammlung seine Beratungen mit der Abstimmung über mehrere Entwürfe zur nuklearen Abrüstung
1) A resolution on the Treaty on the Prohibition Nuclear Weapons (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/resolutions/L24.pdf) (TPNW) was supported by 122 countries (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/votes/1Nov_L24.pdf) . This is more than the number who have signed the Treaty (which is 50). The vote indicates that more signatures are likely. However, the resolution was not supported by any of the nuclear-armed countries, nor any of the countries under nuclear deterrence relationships, i.e. NATO, Australia, Japan, South Korea. The opposition of nuclear-armed and allied States to the resolution is another indication that they do not intend to join the new treaty nor be bound by it.
2) A resolution on the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/resolutions/L44.pdf) submitted by India received 120 votes in favour (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/votes/1Nov_L44.pdf) , including from themselves and another three nuclear-armed States (China, DPK and Pakistan). Oddly enough, opposition to this resolution came not only from the other nuclear-armed States (who wish to maintain the option of using nuclear weapons), but also from some of the States supporting the TPNW. Why would these non-nuclear countries not want the nuclear-armed States to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons? UNFOLD ZERO will explore this question in a future update.
3) A resolution affirming a previous decision to hold a UN High-Level Conference (Summit) on Nuclear Disarmament was supported by 143 countries (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/votes/1Nov_L14.pdf) . The resolution, entitled Follow-up to the 2013 high-level meeting of the General Assembly on nuclear disarmament (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/resolutions/L14.pdf) , also promotes negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention (http://www.unfoldzero.org/get-involved/nuclear-weapons-convention/) - a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons that includes nuclear-armed States (unlike the TPNW which does not include them). Despite getting a strong vote in favour, including from some nuclear armed states, the proposed conference does not yet appear to have enough political traction to be held. The resolution did not set a date for the conference.
4) The UNGA adopted a <sc. Binding> Decision to convene a conference no later than 2019 on the establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/resolutions/L22Rev1.pdf) . Despite the objective of a Middle East Zone being supported by most UN members in a separate resolution (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/resolutions/L1.pdf) (supported by 174 countries (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/votes/1Nov_L1.pdf) ), the decision to convene a conference in 2019 to ‘elaborate a legally binding treaty’ was supported by only 103 countries (http://reachingcriticalwill.org/images/documents/Disarmament-fora/1com/1com18/votes/1Nov_L22Rev1.pdf) . The hesitation by many countries to support the resolution was due to the fact that they believed that concrete preparations and negotiations for a Middle East Zone Treaty would require the participation of all countries in the region, and currently there is at least one country (Israel) that is not ready to work on such a regional treaty.