Unit 7: Non-Proliferation and Disarmament

Non-Proliferation: the goal of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons to states that do not already possess them, as well as preventing the further development of nuclear weapons by states that already have them. This is accomplished through various measures, including treaties, international organizations, and export control regimes.

Disarmament: the process of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons. This can be done through unilateral actions by individual states, bilateral agreements between states, or multilateral treaties involving many states. The ultimate goal of disarmament is a world free of nuclear weapons.

Nuclear Weapons State (NWS): a state that has manufactured and exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967. The five NWS under the NPT are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Non-Nuclear Weapon State (NNWS): a state that has not manufactured or exploded a nuclear weapon or other nuclear explosive device prior to January 1, 1967.

Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): an international treaty aimed at preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and promoting disarmament. It was signed in 1968 and entered into force in 1970. As of 2021, 191 states have joined the NPT. The NPT has three main pillars: non-proliferation, disarmament, and the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Non-proliferation regime: a system of treaties, international organizations, and export control regimes that work together to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons. The NPT is the cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime, but other important treaties and organizations include the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT): an international treaty that bans all nuclear explosions, whether for military or civil purposes. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1996, but has not yet entered into force.

Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG): a group of nuclear supplier countries that have agreed to control the export of nuclear materials, equipment, and technology to prevent their use in nuclear weapons programs.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA): an international organization that promotes the peaceful use of nuclear energy and inhibits its use for military purposes. The IAEA is headquartered in Vienna, Austria, and is governed by a Board of Governors and a General Conference.

Additional Protocol (AP): an agreement between a state and the IAEA that provides the IAEA with additional rights of access to information and locations within the state. The AP is intended to strengthen the IAEA's ability to verify the state's compliance with its safeguards obligations.

Safeguards: measures adopted by a state to verify that its nuclear activities are peaceful and in compliance with its obligations under the NPT or other agreements with the IAEA.

Fissile Material: material that can sustain a nuclear chain reaction, such as plutonium-239 and uranium-235. Fissile material is used in the cores of nuclear weapons and in the fuel of nuclear reactors.

Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT): a proposed treaty that would ban the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons. The FMCT has been under negotiation at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) since 1993, but no agreement has been reached.

Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (NWFZ): a geographical area in which nuclear weapons are prohibited. NWFZs are established through treaties, such as the Treaty of Tlatelolco (Latin America and the Caribbean), the Treaty of Rarotonga (South Pacific), and the Treaty of Pelindaba (Africa).

Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI)