Reviewing and reforming the Non-Proliferation Treaty for today's world
The impetus behind the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty was an international concern for the future of the world with numerous nuclear weapon states. The creators/signatories of the treaty agree that the more nuclear weapon states there are the greater the chance that an accident, unauthorized use, or nuclear conflict will occur. The NPT was proposed by Ireland and has been in force since March 5, 1970. Currently, 189 states are party to the treaty; however Israel, India, Pakistan, and North Korea are not.
The treaty is comprised of eleven articles which form three pillars:
Non-proliferation: The NPT recognizes five nuclear weapon states (NWS): United States, United Kingdom, France, Russia, and the People’s Republic of China. These countries agree not to transfer "nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices" and "not in any way to assist, encourage, or induce "a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS) to acquire nuclear weapons. Additionally NNWS agree not to "receive," "manufacture" or "acquire" nuclear weapons or to "seek or receive any assistance in the manufacture of nuclear weapons".
Disarmament: The treaty calls for eventual nuclear disarmament and encourages all nations "to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control."
Peaceful use of nuclear energy: All parties to the treaty are entitled to participate in “the fullest possible exchange of scientific information for, and to contribute alone or in co-operation with other States to, the further development of the applications of atomic energy for peaceful purposes”.
The signing parties agreed to extend the treaty indefinitely on May 11, 1995. However, there have been many suspected instances of nations secretly developing nuclear weapons programs; leading the effectiveness of the treaty to be challenged. Many doubt that the current treaty can be enforced and ask if the NPT is sufficient to deal with the complex problems of today’s world. Others believe that there is no problem at all. Is the NPT and old treaty for a new world?
Useful Links:
http://disarmament.un.org/wmd/npt
http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/WMD/treaty/
http://www.iaea.org/Publications/Documents/Treaties/npt.html
