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Other Disarmament Machinery
Comprehensive
Test Ban Treaty Organization (CTBTO)
The standing Secretariat for the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT) is also the home for the International Monitoring System.
Although the CTBT has yet to be entered-into-force, the CTBTO
is a fully operational body, and enjoys the support of the
majority of countries.
Biennial
Meeting of States on Small Arms (BMS)
Every two years, states meet to consider the implementation
of the Programme
of Action to Prevent, Combat, and Eradicate the Illicit
Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons In All Its Aspects.
The most recent BMS was held 14-18 July 2008.
International Court of
Justice (ICJ)
The ICJ has a dual role: to settle in accordance with
international law the legal disputes submitted to it by States,
and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred
to it by duly authorized international organs and agencies.
In its 1996 advisory opinion on nuclear weapons, the ICJ affirmed
that under humanitarian law governing the conduct of
warfare, states "must never use weapons that are incapable
of distinguishing between civilian and military targets."
The Court holds the threat or use of nuclear weapons to be
generally illegal under humanitarian and other law.
Missile
Regimes
Currently, the two main missile non-proliferation regimes,
the Hague Code of Conduct and the Missile Technology Control
Regime, are not legally-binding. There remains, then, an important
role for citizens and non-governmental organizations to play
in promoting and implementing missile control and disarmament.
Nuclear Weapons Free Zones
Currently, there are four areas of the globe that have declared
themselves to be free of nuclear weapons:
1. Latin
America and the Caribbean (Treaty of Tlatelolco, Entered
into Force (EIF) in 1968)
2. South Pacific (Treaty
of Rarotonga, EIF in 1986)
3. South
East Asia (Treaty of Bangkok, EIF in 1997)
4. Africa (Treaty
of Pelindaba, signed in 1996, not yet entered-into-force)
5. Antarctica
6. Mongolia
7. Central
Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone
In April, 2005, Mexico hosted the first ever Conference
of States Parties to Nuclear-Weapon Free Zones. See here
for documents issued from that historic conference.
In addition there are three international treaties also prohibiting
the stationing of nuclear weapons in other areas:
Antarctica (Antarctic Treaty, entered into force [EIF]1959)
Outer Space (Outer Space Treaty, EIF in 1967)
Sea Bed (Sea Bed Treaty EIF in 1971)
Organisation
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
The OPCW is a watchdog agency that monitors and assists with
the implementation of the Chemical Weapons Convention.
Security Council
Resolution 1540
This resolution, adopted 28 April 2004, is the strongest condemnation
of and action on the proliferation of WMD by non-state actors
to date.
Secretary-General's
High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change
In his assessment of threats to international peace and security,
Kofi Annan recognized "the biggest security threats we face
now extend to the spread and possible use of nuclear, radiological,
chemical and biological weapons."
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