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What
is the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
 he
Treaty on the
Non-Proliferation
of Nuclear Weapons
(known as the Non-Proliferation
Treaty or NPT) is a cornerstone of global security. The NPT aims to prevent
the spread of nuclear weapons to additional states while ensuring fair
access to peaceful nuclear technology under international
safeguards (audits
and inspections). There are two categories of parties to the treaty— nuclear
weapon states (NWS) and
non-nuclear weapon states (NNWS). Under the treaty,
NWS are defined as the five states that exploded a nuclear device before
January 1967 (United States, Soviet Union [now Russia], United Kingdom,
France, and China).
The NPT:
- Forbids member states without nuclear weapons from
developing them
- Forbids the five member states with nuclear weapons
from transferring them to any other state
- Provides assurance through the application of
international safeguards that peaceful nuclear programs
in NNWS will not be diverted to nuclear weapons or other
nuclear explosive devices
- Facilitates access to peaceful uses of nuclear energy for
all NNWS under international safeguards
- Commits member states to pursue good faith negotiations
toward ending the nuclear arms race and achieving nuclear disarmament.
Click
here for a full-text version of the treaty.
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