In January 1946 the General Assembly agreed on the “elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction.” Click here for PDF version. Full text below.

General Assembly resolution 1

Establishment of a Commission to deal with the problem raised by the discovery of Atomic Energy.

Resolved by the General Assembly of the United Nations to establish a Commission, with the composition and competence act our hereunder, to deal with the problems raised by the discovery of atomic energy and other related matters:

1. Establishment of a Commission

A Commission is hereby established by the General Assembly with the terms of reference set out under section 5 below.

2. Relations of the Commission with the Organs of the United Nations

(a) The Commission shall submit in reports and recommendations to the Security Council, and such reports and recommendations shall be made public unless the Security Council, in the interest of peace and security, otherwise directs. In the appropriate cases the Security Council should transmit these reports to the General Assembly and the Members of the United Nations as well as to the Economic and Social Council, and other organs within the framework of the United Nations.

(b) In view of the Security Council’s primary responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the maintenance of international peace and security, the Security Council shall issue directions to the Commission in matters affecting security. On these matters the Commission shall be accountable for its work to the Security Council.

3. Composition of the Commission

The Commission shall be composed of one representative from each of those states represented on the Security Council and Canada when that State is not a member of the Security Council. Each representative on the Commission may have such assistance as he may desire.

4. Rules of Procedure

The Commission shall have whatever staff it may deem necessary, and shall make recommendations for its rules and procedures to the Security Council, which shall approve them as a procedural matter.

5. Terms of Reference of the Commission

The Commission shall propose with the utmost despatch and enquire into all phases of the problem, and make such recommendations from time to time with respect to them as it finds possible. In particular, the Commission shall make specific proposals

(a) for extending between all nations the exchange of basic scientific information for peaceful ends;

(b) for control of atomic energy to the extent necessary to ensure its use only for peaceful purposes

(c) for the elimination from national armaments of atomic weapons and of all other major weapons adaptable to mass destruction

(d) for effective safeguards by way of inspection and other means to protect complying States against the hazards of violation and evasions. The work of the Commission should proceed by separate stages, the successful completion of each of which will develop the necessary confidence of the world before the next stage is undertaken.

The Commission shall not infringe upon the responsibilities of any organ of the United Nations, but should present recommendations for the consideration of those organs in the performance of their tasks under the terms of the United Nations Charter.

Seventeenth plenary meeting, 24 January 1946.