A/RES/52/38 Page 19 to carry out effective nuclear disarmament measures with a view to the total elimination of these weapons within a time-bound framework; 5. Expresses its concern at the continuing opposition by some States to the establishment of an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament in the Conference on Disarmament, as called for in General Assembly resolution 51/45 O; 6. Reiterates its call upon the Conference on Disarmament to establish, on a priority basis, an ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament to commence negotiations early in 1998 on a phased programme of nuclear disarmament and for the eventual elimination of nuclear weapons within a time-bound framework through a nuclear weapons convention; 7. Urges the Conference on Disarmament to take into account in this regard the proposal of the twenty-eight delegations for a programme of action for the elimination of nuclear weapons,41 as well as the mandate for the ad hoc committee on nuclear disarmament, proposed by the twenty-six delegations;42 8. Requests the Secretary-General to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-third session a report on the implementation of the present resolution; 9. Decides to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-third session the item entitled "Nuclear disarmament". 67th plenary meeting 9 December 1997 M Bilateral nuclear arms negotiations and nuclear disarmament The General Assembly, Recalling its previous relevant resolutions, Recognizing the fundamental changes that have taken place with respect to international security, which have permitted agreements on deep reductions in the nuclear armaments of the States possessing the largest inventories of such weapons, Mindful that it is the responsibility and obligation of all States to contribute to the process of the relaxation of international tension and to the strengthening of international peace and security and, in this connection, to adopt and implement measures towards the attainment of general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control, Appreciating a number of positive developments in the field of nuclear disarmament, in particular the Treaty between the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the United States of America on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles,44 and the treaties on the reduction and limitation of strategic offensive arms, 44 The United Nations Disarmament Yearbook, vol. 12: 1987 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.88.IX.2), appendix VII. /...