Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons

I would like to address here the issues of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and of the competitiveness of nuclear power. 

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is the single most important component of the non-proliferation regime. Under it, the 182 non-nuclear-weapon State Parties have committed themselves not to manufacture or otherwise acquire any nuclear explosive device and to accept IAEA safeguards on all source or special fissionable material to verify that commitment. Under it also the five nuclear weapon State Parties have committed themselves to embark on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament. 

Universal adherence to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is an urgent priority. All States not yet party to the Treaty are called upon to accede to the Treaty at the earliest date, particularly those States that operate unsafeguarded nuclear facilities. Every effort should be made by all State Parties to achieve this objective. 

The use of chemical weapons in the Syrian civil war has illustrated the most serious weakness of the current regime the absence of full universality. It has always been the intention of States Parties to the CWC to aim at universality. Indeed, even treaty provisions (among others those on export controls) serve that purpose. Syria has now become a State Party to the CWC—even though, arguably, only as a result of coercive diplomacy. The remaining non-parties should indeed join the regime. But, unfortunately, in some cases the nexus to the nuclear weapons issue remains a problem. Whether the current efforts to clarify the substance of Article VI of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons will eventually contribute to the CWC s universality is an open question. 

See 2010 Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Einal Doc. Vol 1, para 28. 

Garvey J (2008) A new architecture for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. J Confl Secur Law 12 339-357... 

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