Disarmament Treaties

The Non-Proliferation Treaty

The Non-proliferation Treaty was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. The NPT has been signed by 187 countries. The treaty attempts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons by restricting the transfer of certain technologies and relies on an inspection regime to be carried out by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Of particular importance is article 6 of the treaty that commits the nuclear weapon states to good faith negotiations on nuclear disarmament in exchange for the promise by the nonnuclear weapon states not to acquire weapons. India, Pakistan and Israel have not signed the treaty and in 2003 North Korea withdrew from the treaty. At this point the US, Russia, UK, China and France all continue to develop their nuclear weapon arsenals and thereby undermine the treaty by not living up to their obligations under article 6. The NPT is reviewed once every 5 years. The next review conference will be in 2005 and many fear that the NPT regime will fall apart due to combined vertical proliferation in nuclear weapon states and the proliferation of weapons to new states, most recently North Korea.

Test Ban Treaties

The Limited test Ban Treaty (LTBT) was signed in 1963 banning nuclear tests in the atmosphere, under water and in outer space. A Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) that bans all testing of nuclear warheads was opened for signature in 1998. It was originally viewed as crucial for halting development of new weapons and spread of nuclear weapons, but this is now doubtful since computer-simulated and sub-critical tests might enable countries to develop new generations of warheads without full-scale nuclear testing. The CTBT cannot enter into force until a number of specified states have ratified the treaty.

Outer Space Treaty

The Outer Space Treaty prohibits placing in orbit around the earth, installing on the moon or any other celestial body, or otherwise station in outer space, nuclear or any other weapon of mass destruction. It limits the use of the moon and any other celestial bodies exclusively to peaceful purposes and expressly prohibits their use for establishing military bases, installation, or fortifications; testing weapons of any kind or conducting military maneuvers. The treaty went into force in 1967. The current US plans for a missile defence might be in breech with the treaty depending on which systems will be used and any plans for militarization of space is unlawful according to the treaty.

Strategic Arms Reduction Treaties

START I & START II were bilateral treaties between the US and the Soviet Union signed in 1991 and 1993. The aim of the treaties was to reduce the strategic nuclear weapons arsenals of the two super powers. The aim of the START II was to educe the size of arsenals of each country to between 3000 ­ 3500 warheads by 2007. Negotiations for a START III were expected. Instead Russia and the US abandoned the START regime in 2000. Now the two countries have less binding and more vague called SORT (Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty). The SORT is viewed to be a step back in disarmament. In contrary to the START agreements the SORT is not irreversible, it has no clear timeline and verification measures and will not lead to disarmament but merely the reduction of weapons on hair-trigger alert.

Nuclear Weapons Convention

IPPNW together with other NGO's have drafted a model Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC). The NWC is a multi-lateral agreement to prohibit development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons. The NWC outlines 5 phases for the elimination of nuclear weapons. Should be implemented by a separate agency and legal disputes would be referred to the International Court of Justice. Nuclear weapon states would be obliged to cover the costs of the elimination of their nuclear arsenals and an international verification regime would be established.

The 13 steps towards the NPT

1. Signing the CTBT
2. Moratorium on nuclear weapon test explosions until CTBT enters-into-force
3. Negotiations on a Fissile Material "Cut-off" Treaty (FMCT) in the Conference on Disarmament
4. Create Nuclear Disarmament Subsidiary Body in the Conference on Disarmament
5. Irreversibility applied to nuclear disarmament
6. The unequivocal undertaking by NW states to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals
7. START II, START III and ABM preservation
8. Trilateral Initiative between US, Russia and IAEA
9. Steps by all nuclear weapon states leading to disarmament in a way that promotes international stability, including
   • Unilateral reduction
   • Increased transparency
   • Reduction of nonstrategic nuclear weapons
   • Concrete measures to further reduce the operational status of nuclear weapons systems
   • A diminished role for nuclear weapons in security policies
   • The engagement in the process leading to total elimination
10. Fissile materials under IAEA to remain permanently outside of military programs
11. Reaffirm ultimate objective of general and complete disarmament under effective international control
12. Regular reports by all state

Important signatories to the CTBT

Ratified the CTBT: UK, France, Iran, Israel, Japan and Russia.

Signed but not ratified the CTBT: US and China

States that haven't signed the CTBT: India, Pakistan and North Korea.

NW States that have signed the NPT:

US, UK, China, Russia, France

Article 6 of the NPT

"Each of the parties to the treaty undertakes 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."