United States' arms control obligations under the NonProliferation Treaty
Article VI of the 1986 Non-Proliferation Treaty obligates the nuclear weapon states party to the Treaty ''to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race, ...to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.'' The preamble to the NPT refers to the 1963 Limited Test Ban Treaty ''determination...to achieve the discontinuance of...explosions.'' These provisions are interpreted by many non-nuclear weapon states party to the NPT as an obligation of the nuclear weapon states party to the treaty to pursue a comprehensive test ban (CTB). However, a review of the history of the NPT negotiations and US ratification proceedings makes clear that Article VI imposes no legal obligation on the US to pursue a CTB. The United States did not make a one-to-one correspondence between Article VI and any specific arms control measure; to the contrary, the United States argued successfully that such a connection (to any specific measure) would be pernicious to the attempt to achieve agreement on the NPT. This interpretation held through the negotiations and ratification proceedings. However, a majority of NPT signatories assert that Article VI does indeed imply a commitment to a CTB. In the absence of progress on other arms control measures, which would relieve the pressure for a CTB, this interpretation creates a political problem for the US and could threaten the NPT regime in the future. These problems emphasize the need for the United States to more clearly explain its compliance with Article VI and to develop a long-term strategy that will permit necessary testing while assuring the survival of the NPT regime in effective form.
- Research Organization:
- USDOE Assistant Secretary for Defense Programs, Washington, DC. Office of International Security Affairs
- OSTI ID:
- 7009789
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/NBM-7003247; DF-61980; ON: DE87003247
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290600 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
350101* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- Treaties-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
ARMS CONTROL
COMPLIANCE
EXPLOSIONS
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
LEGAL ASPECTS
NON-PROLIFERATION TREATY
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR EXPLOSIONS
NUCLEAR WEAPONS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
TREATIES
USA
WEAPONS