Review of NPT pushed back to later this year amid COVID-19 pandemic

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January 5, 2022

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Review of NPT pushed back to later this year amid COVID-19 pandemic

Source: AFP | 00:05 UTC+8 January 5, 2022 |

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The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is designed to curb the spread of nuclear arms and promote the peaceful use of atomic energy.

It was scheduled to come up for review yesterday, but the date has been pushed back to later in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a rare statement on Monday, five of the world’s main nuclear powers vowed to prevent the spread of atomic weapons, and to avoid nuclear conflict.

The treaty’s key features:

— The treaty came into force in 1970, and 191 countries have signed up to it.

— It has been ratified by more countries than any other arms limitation agreement.

— It was extended indefinitely in 1995.

— Signatories include the five recognized nuclear weapon states — the United States, Russia, Britain, France, and China — that are also the five veto-wielding permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.

— The treaty requires non-nuclear weapon states that have signed it to refrain from developing nuclear weapons. In exchange, the five nuclear weapon states have pledged to “pursue negotiations in good faith” on disarmament and to provide access to peaceful nuclear energy.

— The International Atomic Energy Agency is tasked with ensuring that efforts to develop nuclear energy are not diverted towards making atomic weapons.

— Four non-parties to the treaty are known, or believed, to possess nuclear weapons. India, Pakistan and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea have openly tested nuclear weapons, while Israel is believed to have some 200 atom bombs but neither confirms nor denies this.

— The DPRK is the only country to ever withdraw from the treaty.

— Iran is a founding signatory of the treaty, but the status of its nuclear program is in dispute.

The NPT’s three main pillars:

1. Non-proliferation.

2. Disarmament, with all signatories urged to promote nuclear and total disarmament.

3. The right to peacefully use nuclear technology for all non-weapon countries that can demonstrate their nuclear programs are not used for military purposes.

Purpose of review conferences:

Review conferences are held every five years to assess progress on disarmament and the tougher monitoring of nuclear programs worldwide.

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Review of NPT pushed back to later this year amid COVID-19 pandemic

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