The nuclear Non-Proliferation
Treaty, which contains the only binding
commitment to nuclear disarmament in a multilateral treaty, became
international law in 1970. At the time, there were five nuclear
nuclear weapon states: China, France, the United Kingdom,
the United States, and the USSR. Since then, India, Israel,
and Pakistan have developed nuclear weapons and North Korea
developed a nuclear explosive capability. These four states
are the only countries not party to the Treaty. have ratified this Treaty (though there are
189 States Parties, as North Korea withdrew from the Treaty
after it ratified it.)
The states parties meet every five years at
a Review Conference (or RevCon) to assess
the implementation of the treaty. There is a Preparatory
Committee (or PrepCom) conference that meets for
two weeks in the three years leading up to the Review Conference.
In preparation for the 2010 Review Conference, there are three
PrepComs: in 2007 (Vienna), 2008
(Geneva), and 2009 (New York).
The Review Conferences always take place in New York.
During the PrepComs, many working papers are tabled, and
the Chairman drafts a Final Summary statement, but none of
these documents are binding. Rather, these statements, working
papers, summaries, and reports are to be used as assessment
tools at the Review Conference.Only the Review Conferences
produce a consensus document. NGOs have become significant,
visible, and important players at these conferences, and we
have included the materials that they have circulated at these
conferences as well.
Originally intended as a temporary treaty, the
NPT stipulates that 25 years after entry into force, a conference
shall be convened to decide whether or not the Treaty shall
continue indefinitely, or be extended for an additional fixed
period or periods. In 1995, this conference was convened,
and a package
of decisions extend the Treaty indefinitely. Five
years later, at the 2000 Review Conference all 187 governments
- including the five official nuclear weapon states - agreed
to a 13 Point Action Plan for the systematic and progressive
disarmament of the world's nuclear weapons. (Available in
both HTML
and PDF.)
At the 2005 Review Conference, states parties could not agree
on a final document, and the five week long conference was
considered to be a failure. 2010 is the next chance to
move forward.
