South Africa flirts with the NPT

Journal Article · · Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1080/00963402.1991.11459933· OSTI ID:5889960

Albright, D; Zamora, T ^[1]

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1. Friends of the Earth, Washington, DC (USA)

South African Foreign Minister Botha announced in September that the South African government is prepared to accede to the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) in the context of an equal commitment by the other stages in the southern African region. Botha's statement, made at the outset of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) General Conference in Vienna, disappointed but did not surprise officials of the US, Britain, and the Soviet Union. They had been optimistic for some time that South Africa would sign the NPT without imposing any conditions, but recent political turmoil in the country had dampened that optimism. Although none of South Africa's neighbors are considered nuclear threats, a number of countries in the area have not yet signed the 1970 accord. Botha's announcement indicates that there will be a delay before South Africa signs the treaty and becomes the first threshold country to bring its entire inventory of nuclear explosive material under international inspection. 9 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5889960
• Journal Information: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA), Journal Name: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (USA) Vol. 47:1; ISSN BASIA; ISSN 0096-5243
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
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98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AFRICA
ARMS CONTROL
EXPLOSIVES
MANAGEMENT
NEGOTIATION
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES
NUCLEAR MATERIALS MANAGEMENT
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