Talking Points on the NPT

Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)

Conference on Disarmament

General Assembly First Committee

UN Disarmament Commission

Special Session on Disarmament

Talking Points on the NPT

• The NPT is the Cornerstone of the Global Nuclear Disarmament Regime. The 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is one of the cornerstones on which all international disarmament efforts are based. This almost universal treaty contains a solemn promise for negotiations on nuclear abolition in Article 6. The NPT has been most successful arms control treaty in history. There are now 187 countries which are party to the treaty designed to prevent the further spread of nuclear weapons, foster peaceful nuclear cooperation according to specific safeguards, and to encourage negotiations to end the nuclear arms race.

• The International Court of Justice ruling in July of 1996 found that States had an obligation to negotiate and complete a treaty banning all nuclear weapons. The court was unanimous in its interpretation of Article 6, making this treaty and the forum offered by its meetings central to efforts for nuclear disarmament. (For a complete accounting of the ICJ ruling, contact the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy, 211 East 43rd Street, Suite 120, New York, NY 10017; tel: (212) 818-1861; lcnp@aol.com)

• The NPT Review Conference and Preparatory Committee meetings represent one of the best opportunities for WILPF and other organizations and individuals to voice our support for the complete abolition of nuclear weapons. Pressure can be mounted for NPT party states to renew the commitments made in 2000, to strengthen the review process, to preserve and strengthen multilateral and bilateral arms control agreements, to ban nuclear testing, to de-alert strategic nuclear weapons and to inventory, safeguard and stop production of all fissile material.

• A standardized reporting mechanism, as committed to in the 12th point of the 2000 RevCon 13 point action plan, is necessary to build confidence through TRANSPARENT and IRREVERSIBLE ACTIONS in order to further commitment towards nuclear disarmament. This PrepCom is a great opportunity to commence discussion on what form this reporting should take.

• A comprehensive international convention, or treaty, to abolish nuclear weapons will be gained through states honoring their Article VI obligations to work for nuclear disarmament. Draft text of a nuclear weapons convention can be found on the Internet at the URL: www.ippnw.org; or by contacting IPPNW, 727 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA; tel: (617) 868-5050; ippnwbos@ippnw.org

• The public supports nuclear disarmament. Surveys done in USA, Australia, Canada, UK, German, Norway, Belgium, India, Russia and Japan demonstrate that a majority of citizens do not believe nuclear weapons increase their security. Therefore, governments should abide by the will of the people and work actively and diligently to rid the world of nuclear weapons.

• NPT is integral to strengthening multilateral disarmament for a. Countering nuclear proliferation is a major point for cooperation between Russia, the United States, and other countries, where mutual interests coincideand provide unprecedented venues for international cooperation. NPT remains a successful regime that can promote nonproliferation in hard cases and build consensus around short-term objectives.

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