1. law, govt and politics
2. legal issues
3. human rights

UNITED NATIONS
SECURITY COUNCIL
This Background guide includes basic information regarding the topics to be
discussed in the committee.
CHAIRED BY:
KAHAAN MEHTA
AARJAV PHUKAN
The Security Council- Address to the Delegates
Dear Delegates,
We take extreme pride and pleasure to welcome you to Maria’s Model United Nations 2015 and would
also like to congratulate you on your participation in the Security Council, the most powerful committee
in The United Nations. The resolutions passed in The Security Council are binding. This means that what
the fifteen of you deliberate upon will be the law applicable to every single human being. I hope that is a
sentiment strong enough to make you realise the importance of the committee you have joined.
The topics that have been chosen for this session are:
(i) Transnational Terrorism with Specific focus in The Middle East
(ii) The Question of a Nuclear Free World.
We hope that the following background guide gives you a fair idea on both the topics. They have been
prepared in a manner such that will give you a hint as to the tone of the debate expected, the subject
areas which must be addressed and the kind of robust response demanded. Delegates are requested to
please keep in mind, that the following is not a detailed research work. It addresses the aforementioned
topics in the briefest of manners possible. It is expected on the part of the delegates to carry out further
research about their country policies, political stance and so on.
The veto power, which only the permanent countries are allowed, is likely to add a twist on certain
matters that require voting but it must be borne in mind that if and when possible, the primary aim of the
Security Council has always been, to achieve consensus, thus landing on a plausible and sensible solution
acceptable by all.
As for the committee proceedings, since both these topics are likely to put any interested delegate sit on
the edge of the chair, the flow of debate will be, we hope, lively and in the true spirit of peace and
security for the world.
Ensuring you a very good MUN experience and a highly stimulating session,
Kahaan Mehta
Chair, Security Council
Aarjav Phukan
Co Chair, Security Council.
MMUN• Security Council Position Paper Guidelines
Due 25th April 2015
Each committee topic should be addressed in a succinct policy statement representing the relevant views
of your assigned country. You should identify and address international and regional conventions,
treaties, declarations, resolutions, and programs of action that are relevant to the policy of your country.
You should also include recommendations for action to be taken by your committee. A delegate’s role as
a Member State should affect the way a position paper is written. To understand these differences,
please refer to the Background Guide. It may also be helpful to view the Sample Position Paper. A position
paper should be submitted for each assigned committee.
 The two page position paper should cover all the topics in the background guide, not a separate paper
for each topic.
 Do not submit papers for committees not assigned to your country.
Only those delegations that follow the guidelines and meet the submission deadline will be eligible for
awards. All papers must be typed and formatted according to the standards below:
 Length must not exceed two pages
 Margins must be set at 1 inch or 2.54 cm. for the whole paper
 Font must be Times New Roman sized between 10 pt. and 12 pt.
 Country and committee name must be clearly labelled on the first page.
 Agenda topics must be clearly labelled in separate sections
 National symbols (headers, flags, etc.) are deemed inappropriate for MMUN position papers
Please note that position papers must be comprised of entirely original writing. The NMUN Conference
will not tolerate plagiarism, including copying from Committee Background Guides. Violation of this policy
may result in dismissal from the conference. Although United Nations documentation is considered
within the public domain, the conference does not allow the verbatim re-creation of these documents.
Write a position paper to

Organize and outline your viewpoint on an issue

Formally inform others of your position
as a foundation to build resolution to difficult problems

Present a unique, though biased, solution
or a unique approach to solving a problem

Frame the discussion in order to define the "playing field."
This can put you in an advantageous position with those who may not be so well prepared as regards
the issues behind their positions

Establish your credibility
Here you are demonstrating that you have a command of the issues and the research behind them,
and can present them clearly

Let your passion be demonstrated in the force of your argument
rather than in the use of emotional terms

Guide you in being consistent in maintaining your position in negotiation
Sample Position Paper
Committee: Security Council
Topic Area A: Former Yugoslavia
Country: Ghana
Delegate: Mr. Kofi Annan (Example)
Ghana strongly believes that U.N. policy regarding the situation in the Balkans has been flawed from the start. First,
Ghana would like to remind the Security Council of Article 51 in the United Nations Charter.
Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individuals or collective self-defense if an armed
attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to
maintain international peace and security.
This article of our Charter clearly establishes the right of any sovereign nation to defend itself from an external
attack. However, the U.N.-imposed arms embargo over the regions of the former Yugoslavia clearly takes this right
away from the nation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. While the U.N. has blindly imposed this embargo over all of exYugoslavia, the amply supplied Serbs have used the armaments left behind by the Yugoslavian Federal Government
to beat the poorly armed Bosnians into submission. As such, Ghana believes that the U.N. is doing a tremendous
injustice to the nation of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Thus, unless this body acts immediately to halt Serbian aggression in
Bosnia, we are obliged to lift our blanket arms embargo to allow the Bosnians to defend themselves. It should be
noted here that we can, and should, lift the arms embargo against Bosnia while keeping it against Serbia, as the
Serbs are not currently fighting for the safety or integrity of their nation (as the international community recognizes
it), but are rather the aggressors in this situation.
However, Ghana would like to stress that it strives for a peaceful solution to the conflicts in Bosnia and Croatia, and
to the tensions in Macedonia and Kosovo, and thus would not simply endorse an escalation of warfare within the
region. As the situation in Bosnia-Herzegovina is of the utmost importance, as the greatest number of human lives
are being lost there, Ghana believes that the Security Council should deal with this nation first. Although Ghana does
not like the fact that the Bosnian-Croat federation would hold only 51% of the land of Bosnia-Herzegovina, we
believe that if the Bosnian-Muslim and Croat leaders can agree to this type of reduction in land, then it should be
acceptable to the world community. Because two of the combatants have agreed to this type of land agreement,
Ghana believes that it is up to the Security Council to force the Bosnian Serbs and Yugoslav Serbs to accept this new
partition of Bosnia, or face a collective onslaught and erosion of their currently held positions. As such, Ghana
approves of the fact that the Yugoslav Serbs have ostracized the Bosnian Serbs for not agreeing to the
aforementioned plan; however, to make sure that no aid is reaching the Bosnian Serbs, Ghana believes that the U.N.
should force the Federal Serbs to allow U.N. monitors between the internationally recognized borders of Serbia and
Bosnia. If Serbia does not allow this, Ghana believes that the Security Council should tighten the embargo against
Serbia, not even allowing humanitarian aid into the country. Although this may seem unnecessarily harsh, we
believe that more direct pressure on the Serbian people and leaders will force them to quickly change their stance,
thus saving more lives in the long-term. In addition, Ghana believes that the proposed Bosnian-Croat federation
should receive military backing from the U.N. and NATO in order to safeguard its existence. Although we know that
the U.N. cannot control NATO, we believe that our positive working relationship in the past will allow for continued
cooperation in this realm. Thus, we believe that only a significant and overt military support for the Bosnians will
result in an end to this conflict.
Ghana believes that a continued U.N. presence in Croatia and Macedonia will be the best way to defuse tensions in
those nations. Although UNPROFOR has experienced difficulties in Croatia, Ghana would like to point out that many
of the recent breaks in the cease-fire there have been due to offensives by the Croats, who were the people that
UNPROFOR was originally trying to protect. Thus, unless both the Croats and Serbs in Croatia are willing to stop
fighting, UNPROFOR should not take on a further role. However, as the pre-emptive peacekeepers in Macedonia
seem to be working, Ghana fully supports them and requests the Security Council to evaluate the situation and
perhaps send more troops there to safeguard the peace.
About The Security Council
Committee Overview:
The United Nations Charter has explained, in detail, The Security Council in its Fifth Chapter from Article
23 onwards.
Pursuant to the above stated article, The Security Council shall comprise of fifteen members, five of
which shall be permanent in terms of their presence in all the proceedings of the committee until it is
dissolved. These member nations which enjoy the right of permanent presence in The Security Council
are- The People’s Republic of China, The French Republic, The Russian Federation, The United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland and The United States of America . The five permanent seats, known
as the P5, are held by the leaders of the victorious Allied nations of the Second World War that formed
the UN – particularly the SC – as a forum to prevent future global war and that “men in all lands may live
out their lives in freedom from fear and want” The members who do not enjoy this right of perennial
seats are elected for a term of two years. Considering the fact that each member nation is allowed one
representative, this is a single delegate committee.
The other non-permanent members for this session of The Security Council are:
(in order of the alphabet)









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Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Federal Republic of Germany
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Republic of Iraq
Republic of South Sudan
Republic of Turkey
Syrian Arab Republic
The Kingdom of The Netherlands
Mandate of the Committee:
Sixty-Nine months and some four months back, The Security Council sat for the first time with the aim
to promote the establishment and maintenance of international peace and security with the least
diversion for armaments of the world's human and economic resources, the Security Council shall be
responsible for formulating, with the assistance of the Military Staff Committee referred to in Article 47,
plans to be submitted to the Members of the United Nations for the establishment of a system for the
regulation of armaments.
The Charter of the United Nations (1945) established the main functions for the SC: maintain
international peace and security; develop friendly relations among states; cooperate to solve
international problems and promote human rights; and be a centre for harmonizing action among
Member States. The SC is given a multitude of options to fulfil these duties, including economic sanctions,
arms embargoes, financial sanctions, travel bans, and collective military actions. Among its administrative
roles, the SC recommends the admission of new members to the UN General Assembly (GA); advises the
UN General Assembly on the appointment of the Secretary-General; and elects judges to the
International Court of Justice in conjunction with the GA. In addition to its distinctive mandate and
powers, the SC is the only UN body that may pass legally binding resolutions, under Article 25 of the
Charter of the United Nations which states that “Members of the United Nations agree to accept and
carry out the decisions of the Security Council." While the other bodies of the UN pass nonbinding
resolutions that provide recommendations and sources of global consensus, the SC’s power to impose
the binding resolutions allow it to act as a force of collective security.
For any procedural change or resolution to pass in the SC, it must garner at least nine votes. For any
substantive action, no permanent member may vote against the action. This “veto power” is a unique
privilege given to the permanent members in the Charter of the United Nations, which enables them to
singularly deny any resolution from adoption by casting a negative vote. The use of the veto is rarely
evoked, as consensus is the primary goal of the SC. Of the 1,859 draft resolutions voted upon between
1945 and 2012, the veto power was used only 261 times; only draft resolutions have been vetoed since
1996. It must be considered, however, that the use of the veto is only ultimately unnecessary because its
mere existence and the threat of its use are sufficient. Of note, a permanent member may abstain on a
substantive vote without denying the substantive issue to be approved, thereby allowing the member to
maintain its national position of disagreement or indifference without hindering the work of the SC as a
whole.
Functions and Powers:
Article 2(7) of the Charter of the United Nations prohibits the UN from intervening in matters of
"domestic jurisdiction of any state." Chapter VII allows the SC to intervene, unless it judges any situation
to be a 'threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression; the SC uses this exception to
Article 2(7) in order to justify inventions that could threaten international peace and security by
expanding beyond national borders.' Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations also grants special
powers to the SC to enforce its mandate of maintaining international peace and security, such as
economic sanctions, arms embargoes, financial sanctions, travel bans, and collective military actions,
including the power to deploy and direct peacekeeping forces. Before these powers are used, the SC will
often pursue alternative courses under Article 38 of the Charter of the United Nations of pacific
settlement. These alternative methods include: calling for ceasefires, requesting discussions to resolve
the issues leading to conflict, and creating investigations into disputlasting peace, the SC established the
Peace Building Commission (PBC) by adopting SC resolution 1645 (2005); the PBC advises and assists
international actors to help Member States emerging from conflict or situations that may disrupt
international peace. All in all, the basic functions and powers of the United Nations Security Council are as
stated below (1):

to maintain international peace and security in accordance with the principles and purposes of the
United Nations;

to investigate any dispute or situation which might lead to international friction;

to recommend methods of adjusting such disputes or the terms of settlement;

to formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate armaments;

to determine the existence of a threat to the peace or act of aggression and to recommend what
action should be taken;

to call on Members to apply economic sanctions and other measures not involving the use of force
to prevent or stop aggression;

to take military action against an aggressor;

to recommend the admission of new Members;

to exercise the trusteeship functions of the United Nations in "strategic areas";

To recommend to the General Assembly the appointment of the Secretary-General and, together
with the Assembly, to elect the Judges of the International Court of Justice.
Recent Sessions:
In relation to the set agenda of troubles in the Middle East, the UNSC has met twelve times from 6th of
January to the 27th of March. This is a clear indication of the gravity of the situation. Almost a day
before the publication of this document, the UNSC has met to discuss threat the instability in the
Middle East poses to the security of the world, although no votes were taken on the said matter.
Conclusion:
The modern Security Council has, despite its slight breach of Article 2(7) but in the spirit of saving
humankind from harbingers of political and economical instability, judicial insecurity, and massacres in
the name of “freedom”, has decided to intervene in internal matters of the State should the sovereign
power’s attempts to curb it fail, and the “disease” threatens to flare globally. Delegates should draw
upon this strategy when preparing for the SC at NMUN, bearing in mind that the values of cooperation
and compromise are still paramount within the often highly charged atmosphere of SC sessions. The SC
can act as an incredibly powerful force for world change, and delegates should reflect on its strengths
as well as its weaknesses as they consider the Council’s agenda.
Agenda 1: Transnational Terrorism with Specific Focus in the Middle East
“NO-ONE IN THIS WORLD CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE, OR SAFE, WHILE SO MANY ARE SUFFERING AND
DEPRIVED."
Former Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan
March 22, 2002
Monterey, Mexico
1.1 Introduction:
Terrorism is commonly defined as violent acts (or the threat of violent acts) intended to create fear
(terror), perpetrated for a religious, political, or ideological goal, and which deliberately target or
disregard the safety of non-combatants (e.g., neutral military personnel or civilians). This is the most
basic and well known definition which was used included in the dictionaries to define the word
‘terrorism’. However, recent events of aforesaid threat of use of violence by individuals or sub national
groups to obtain a political or social objective through intimidation of a large audience beyond that of
the immediate victims have given rise to a new term- “Transnational Terrorism”.
Through its perpetrators, victims, or audience, transnational terrorism has implications for two or
more countries. If an incident starts in one country but terminates in another (e.g., 9/11 and 3/11),
then the incident is a transnational terrorist event, as is the case for the hijacking of a plane in country
A that is diverted to country B. The kidnapping of foreign workers in Iraq during 2004 to pressure
governments to pull their citizens from the U.S.-backed reconstruction efforts represents one of the
most penetrating examples of transnational terrorist attacks.
1.2 Affected Areas:
The Middle East-
The Middle East has been an area associated with transnational terrorism. It has been the target of
many Islamic and State terrorist organisations for over two decades now. Despite of repeated attempts
to resolve the ongoing dispute in the area, all has been in vain. Thus, this time, the UNSC will
specifically focus on these areas of unrest and try to establish peace and equilibrium and peace in the
area. Those which pose the most immediate threats are stated below:

Al-Qaeda Al-Qaeda (al-kah-ee-də translation: “The Base”)
Al-Qaeda, an international terrorist network, is considered the top terrorist threat to the United
States. The group is wanted for its September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon, as well as a host of lesser attacks. To escape the post-9/11 U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, alQaeda's central leadership fled eastward into Pakistan, securing a safe haven in loosely governed areas
there. In July 2007, U.S. intelligence agencies found that the organization was regrouping and regaining
strength in these tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan, though targeted killings of senior alQaeda leaders have since diminished the group's command and control capabilities. In February 2009,
Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told lawmakers that the group's core "is less capable
and effective than it was a year ago." The killing of al-Qaeda's top leader Osama bin Laden by U.S.
forces in Pakistan in May 2011 served a significant blow to the organization, but analysts say al-Qaeda
remains deadly with its networks spread all over the world. Plus, a number of affiliated groups have
gained prominence in recent years, complicating the task of containing the organization.

The al-Nusra Front, or Jabhat al-Nusra, ("The Support Front for the People of Al-Sham"),
The al-Nusra Front is a branch of al-Qaeda operating in Syria and Lebanon with its current leader as
Abu Mohammad al-Julani. The group announced its creation on 23 January 2012, during the Syrian
Civil War. The group has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United Nations, the United
States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Turkey. Al-Nusra aims to overthrow the Assad regime and
replace it with a Sunni Islamic state.

The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) also translated as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS),
self-proclaimed as the Islamic State (IS), is a Sunni, extremist, jihadist rebel group controlling territory
in Iraq and Syria. The group originated as Jama'at al-Tawhid wal-Jihad in 1999, which became Tanzim
Qaidat al-Jihad fi Bilad al-Rafidayn—commonly known as Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI)—in 2004. In April
2013, the group changed its name to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. It grew significantly
under the leadership of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and by November 2014, ISIL controlled a third of Iraq
and Syria. After entering the Syrian Civil War, it established a large presence in the Syrian governorates
of ArRaqqah, Idlib, Deir ez-Zor and Aleppo. The group's original aim was to establish an Islamic state in
Sunni-majority regions of Iraq. Following its involvement in the Syrian Civil War, this expanded to
include controlling Sunni-majority areas of Syria. It then proclaimed a worldwide caliphate on 29 June
2014, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi—known by his supporters as Amir al-Mu'minin, Caliph Ibrahim—was
named its caliph, and the group was renamed the Islamic State ISIS is widely known for uploading
videos of beheadings onto the internet. November 14, 2014 - The U.N. Independent International
Commission of Inquiry on Syria concludes that ISIS has committed war crimes and crimes against
humanity, and leaders of the militant group should be held accountable by organizations such as the
International Criminal Court
Hezbolla
Hezbollah (meaning Party of God) is a political and military party in Lebanon founded in 1982 to fight the
IsraelI occupation in southern Lebanon. It is regarded by many in the Arab and Muslim world as a
legitimate militant Shia political party in Lebanon. In addition to its military wing, Hezbollah maintains a
civilian arm, which runs hospitals, various news services, and eductional facilities. South Lebanon was
occupied by Israel between 1982 and 2000. Hezbollah fought a guerilla war against Israel and the South
Lebanon Army. The fighting culminated during Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996 when Israel
launched an assault and air-campaign against Hezbollah. The campaign failed and resulted in the Israelis
killing more than 100 civilians in one incident alone.In May 2000, Israel withdrew its army from south
Lebanon. This was widely considered a victory for Hezbollah and boosted its popularity in Lebanon. The
move did not end the conflict because Hezbollah is still contesting Israel's control of the Shebaa farms
region.
Hamas:
Hamas is a Jihadi (fighting for a holy purpose) movement in the broad sense of the word Jihad. It is part of
the Islamic awakening movement and upholds that this awakening is the road which will lead to the
liberation of Palestine from the river to the sea. Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic organization, with an
associated military wing, the Izz ad-Din alQassam Brigades, in the Palestinian territories and elsewhere in
the Middle East including Qatar. Hamas' charter calls for the destruction of Israel. Though Hamas does not
recognize Israel's legitimacy, in 2011 it committed to a Palestinian state in Gaza and the West Bank. It's
not clear whether Hamas could reconcile itself to the existence of Israel. Based on the principles of
Islamism gaining momentum throughout the Arab world in the 1980s, Hamas was founded in 1987 (during
the First Intifada) as an offshoot of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood. Co-founder Sheik Ahmed Yassin
stated in 1987 and the Hamas Charter affirmed in 1988, that Hamas was founded to liberate Palestine,
including modern-day Israel, from Israeli occupation and to establish an Islamic state in the area that is
now Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the January 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections,
Hamas won a decisive majority in the Palestinian Parliament, defeating the PLO-affiliated Fatah party. In
March 2007, a national unity government headed by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas was briefly
formed, but this failed to restart international financial assistance. Tensions over control of Palestinian
security forces soon erupted in the 2007 Battle of Gaza, after which Hamas took control of Gaza, while its
officials were ousted from government positions in the West Bank. In 2011, Hamas and Fatah announced
a reconciliation agreement that provides for creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government.
Boko Haram:
Boko Haram is actually the nickname in the Hausa language for the group officially known in Arabic as
"Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati Wal-Jihad"--the People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's
Teachings and Jihad. Coined by northern Muslims and subsequently picked up by the press, the name Boko
Haram translates loosely as "Western education is forbidden" and is derived from one of the chief tenets
of the teachings of Muhammad Yusuf, the group's early leader, who claimed that western style education
("boko" in Hausa) and the holding of government jobs are religiously forbidden, or haram, under Islam.
More than five thousand people have been killed in Boko Haram-related violence, and three hundred
thousand have been displaced. Some experts view the group as an armed revolt against government
corruption, abusive security forces, and widening regional economic disparity. They argue that Abuja
should do more to address the strife between the disaffected Muslim north and the Christian south. After
its founding in 2002, Boko Haram's increasing radicalization led to a violent uprising in July 2009 in which
its leader was executed. Since mid-2014, the militants have been in control of swathes of territory in and
around their home state of Borno, but have not captured the capital of the state, Maiduguri, where the
group was originally based. It has been speculated that Boko Haram might be supported financially and/or
with manpower by other Extremist groups from the Middle-East.
1.3. Role of the UN and The Security Council:
In June 1993, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees ‘Terrorism and Human Rights subCommission on Human Rights Resolution 2002/24 stated that “terrorism is indeed aimed at the
destruction of human rights, fundamental freedoms and democracy and that it could never be justified,
including to promote and protect human rights.” However, the committee added that all counterterrorism measures must be used “in strict conformity with international law, including international
human rights law and humanitarian law standards.” The key treaty that relates to the subject of human
rights and terrorism is Security Council Resolution 1624, which “deals with incitement, stresses that States
must ensure that any measures they take to implement the resolution comply with all of their obligations
under international law in particular international human rights law, refugee law, and humanitarian law.”
The CTC is tasked to monitor state adherence to this notable resolution, report to the Security Council
when states infringe upon the treaty, and recommend how to avoid sacrificing civil liberties for security.
1.4. Points of Discussion:
On 2 May 2006, former Secretary-General Kofi Annan addressed the launch of the United Nation ‘Uniting
Against Terrorism’26 project. In the speech he detailed the five basic pillars of what he termed as a
“principled, comprehensive strategy” to fight terrorism globally:

Dissuade disaffected groups from choosing terrorism as a tactic to achieve their goals;

Deny terrorists the means to carry out their attacks;

Deter States from supporting terrorists;

Develop State capacity to prevent terrorism;

Defend human rights in the struggle against terrorism.
1.5. Some Points which need to be pondered upon include:
(i) The quickest response to the growing threats posed to right to life and freedom of all kinds in order to
reduce the civilian causality and deaths keeping in mind the humanitarian methods to be employed in
methods of counter-terrorism against the above stated Transnational Terrorist Organisations in
compliance to resolution 1624.
(ii) The arguments of support extended by some member states to UNSC recognised transnational terrorist
organisations.
(iii) Impact of transnational terrorist activities on economy, trade and commerce, etc.
1.6. A few questions to work on:

How has your country responded to Security Council Resolutions regarding Terrorism
(UNSCR/1624) and all other such resolutions?

How does your country intend to tackle the problems of Middle East? What methods does it
propose to The Security Council to fight such problems?

Which steps have already been implemented by United Nations or other countries to stop the
expansion of the terrorist groups in the Middle-East?

How much successful were those attempts and what was the part of their failure, if any?

What are the other effects of such activities on the economic, political, social and judicial sections
of the society?
Agenda 2: The Question of a nuclear free world.
“An unconventional threat requires an unconventional response... we face a new dimension in the fight
against terrorism”
- IAEA Director General Mohamed El Baradei
1.1. Introduction
Quite simply, nuclear weapons can be defined as “weapons of mass destruction (WMD) that are powered
by nuclear reaction.” They are capable of inflicting massive destruction to property and/or population,
using chemical, biological or radioactive material. The following are the current member states with
nuclear arsenal:
However, North Korea, India, Pakistan, and Israel are all either: alleged, undeclared or known nuclear
states. Although the NPT deals with state-state nuclear threats, in terms of the CTC, the threat is when
nuclear weapons get into the hands of non-state actors.
1.2. History of the Issue:
On 28 April 2004, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1540(2004) under
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter which affirms that the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and
biological weapons and their means of delivery constitutes a threat to international peace and security.
The resolution obliges States, INTER ALIA, to refrain from supporting by any means non-State actors from
developing, acquiring, manufacturing, possessing, transporting, transferring or using nuclear, chemical or
biological weapons and their delivery systems.
Resolution 1540 (2004) imposes binding obligations on all States to daopt legislation to prevent the
proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery, and establish
appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking. It also encourages
enhanced international cooperation on such efforts. The resolution affirms support for the multilateral
treaties whose aim is to eliminate or prevent the proliferation of WMDs and the importance for all States
to implement them fully; it reiterates that none of the obligations in resolution 1540 (2004) shall conflict
with or alter the rights and obligations of States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons, the Chemical Weapons Convention, or the Biological Weapons Convention or alter the
responsibilities of the IAEA and OPCW.
On 27 April 2006, the Security Council extended the mandate of the 1540 Committee for a further two
years with the adoption of Resolution 1673 , which reiterated the objectives of Resolution 1540 (2004)
and expressed the interest of the Security Council in intensifying its efforts to promote full
implementation of the resolution.
On 25 April 2008, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1810, which extended the mandate of the
1540 Committee for a period of three years, with the continued assistance of experts, until 25 April 2011.
Through Resolution 1810 (2008), the Security Council urged the 1540 Committee to continue
strengthening its role in facilitating technical assistance, including by engaging actively in matching offers
and requests for assistance, therefore strengthening its clearinghouse function. The Security Council also
requested the 1540 Committee to consider a comprehensive review of the status of implementation of
Resolution 1540 (2004). As part of this comprehensive review, the 1540 Committee decided to hold
an open meeting with broad participation from UN Member States and relevant international
organizations. The open meeting took place at UN headquarters from 30 September to 2 October 2009
and a final document is published on the 1540 Committee website.
On 20 April 2011, the Security Council adopted Resolution 1977, which reaffirms that the proliferation of
nuclear, chemical and biological weapons and their means of delivery constitutes a threat to international
peace and security, and extends the mandate of the 1540 Committee for a period of ten years to 2021.
The Security Council thus recognizes that full implementation of resolution 1540 (2004) by all States is a
long-term task that will require continuous efforts at national, regional and international levels.
Resolution 1977 (2011) also provides for two Comprehensive Reviews, one after five years and one
before the end of the mandate. Additionally, the 1540 Committee is mandated by resolution 1977 (2011)
to continue to strengthen its role to facilitate the provision of technical assistance and to enhance
cooperation with relevant international organizations. The Committee is also mandated to continue to
refine its outreach efforts, and to continue to institute transparency measures.
On 29 June 2012, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2055 (2012), which enlarged the Group of
Experts supporting the work of the 1540 Committee to up to nine (9) experts.
1.3. Landmark Treaties:
A. The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was adopted on 26 October 1979
in Vienna, Austria. The initial signing ceremony took place in Vienna and at New York on 3 March 1980,
and the convention entered into force on 8 February 1987. The convention is deposited with
the International Atomic Energy Agency. In July 2005 a diplomatic conference was convened to amend
the Convention and strengthen its provisions, as a result of which it was renamed the Convention on the
Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities. The Convention on the Physical Protection
of Nuclear Material provides for certain levels of physical protection during international transport of
nuclear material. It also establishes a general framework for cooperation among states in the protection,
recovery, and return of stolen nuclear material. Further, the Convention lists certain serious offenses
involving nuclear material which state parties are to make punishable and for which offenders shall be
subject to a system of extradition or submission for prosecution.
B. The NPT is a landmark international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons
and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy and to further
the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament. The Treaty
represents the only binding commitment in a multilateral treaty to the goal of disarmament by the
nuclear-weapon States. Opened for signature in 1968, the Treaty entered into force in 1970. On 11 May
1995, the Treaty was extended indefinitely. A total of 190 parties have joined the Treaty, including the
five nuclear-weapon States. More countries have ratified the NPT than any other arms limitation and
disarmament agreement, a testament to the Treaty's significance. The provisions of the Treaty,
particularly article VIII, paragraph 3, envisage a review of the operation of the Treaty every five years, a
provision which was reaffirmed by the States parties at the 1995 NPT Review and Extension
Conference. To further the goal of non-proliferation and as a confidence-building measure between
States parties, the Treaty establishes a safeguards system under the responsibility of the IAEA. Safeguards
are used to verify compliance with the Treaty through inspections conducted by the IAEA. The Treaty
promotes cooperation in the field of peaceful nuclear technology and equal access to this technology for
all States parties, while safeguards prevent the diversion of fissile material for weapons use.
The above are only two of the several landmark and regional treaties all of which the delegates are
expected to be well versed with.
1.4. Resolution 1540
In resolution 1540 (2004), the Security Council decided that all States shall refrain from providing any
form of support to non-State actors that attempt to develop, acquire, manufacture, possess, transport,
transfer or use nuclear, chemical or biological weapons and their means of delivery, in particular for
terrorist purposes. The resolution requires all States to adopt and enforce appropriate laws to this effect
as well as other effective measures to prevent the proliferation of these weapons and their means of
delivery to non-State actors, in particular for terrorist purposes.
The UN Office for Disarmament Affairs provides support for activities of the Committee established
pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004), which is tasked to report to the Security Council on the
implementation of the resolution. Currently, UNODA activities are focusing on the following key areas:

Facilitation of national implementation activities including through regionally coordinated
approaches
 Cooperation between international, regional and sub-regional organizations
 Effective partnerships of key stakeholders including civil society, private sector and
academia.
1.5. The Delegates must consider the following while researching the topic:

Sanctions imposed on Countries with Nuclear arsenal and their reasons for the same

The members, non-members and the other related changes in the number of member
states

Environmental Impact of Nuclear Weapons

Necessity of Nuclear weapons

Possession of weapons by politically unstable countries

The risk of possession of Nuclear weapons by terrorist organizations
6. The Delegates may also base their research on the following questions:

Does your country possess nuclear weapons?

Is it a member of any treaty of non-proliferation?

What is the stance on the possession of nuclear weapons by the country? What
measures does the Member State have in mind to ensure non proliferation?

What solution does the Member State have to the ongoing conflict of interest on
nuclear deals between countries?

The Delegates must bear in mind that the question is that of a nuclear free world and
whatever their positions, for or against, they must be able to provide plausible solutions in
support of their argument.