Argentina

Country Spotlight

From the 1960s to the early 1990s, Argentina’s nuclear program and ballistic missile activities led to concerns that the country was seeking to develop nuclear weapons or assist other countries’ nuclear and missile programs. It has since eschewed nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons as well as missiles, but retains an ambitious nuclear energy program.

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Region South America, Central America, and the Caribbean

1st South American country to use nuclear energy

6% Of electricity produced by nuclear energy

Participant in U.S.-led Megaports Initiative, which prevents nuclear trafficking through seaports

Nuclear

Joined NPT in 1995 and the Treaty of Tlatelolco in 1994, which established a nuclear weapon-free zone in Latin America
Has exported research reactors to Algeria, Australia, Egypt, the Netherlands, and Peru
Established a bilateral inspection agency with Brazil to verify both countries’ pledges to only use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes
Argentina joined the “International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification” in 2015, reaffirming its commitment to nuclear nonproliferation
Has 3 nuclear power plants in operation: Atucha I, Atucha II, and Embalse

Biological

Has never possessed or attempted to acquire biological weapons
Signed the Mendoza Accord with Chile and Brazil in 1991, in which it commits not to use, produce, develop, acquire, stockpile, or transfer biological or chemical weapons

Missile

Used French-supplied Exocet anti-ship cruise missiles against British naval forces during the 1982 Falklands War
Developed ballistic missiles and exported missile technology during the 1980s, but dismantled its medium-range ballistic missile program, the Cóndor II, in 1992
Member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) and Hague Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (HCOC)

Chemical

Has never possessed or attempted to acquire chemical weapons
Member of the Australia Group since 1992
Signed the Mendoza Accord with Chile and Brazil in 1991, in which it commits not to use, produce, develop, acquire, stockpile, or transfer biological or chemical weapons

Treaties and Regimes Memberships

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Tlatelolco Treaty

The Tlatelolco Treaty prohibits Latin American states from acquiring, possessing, developing, testing or using nuclear weapons, and prohibits other countries from storing and deploying nuclear weapons on their territories.

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NPT

The NPT is a treaty aimed at limiting the spread of nuclear weapons through the three pillars of non-proliferation, disarmament, and peaceful use of nuclear energy.

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ABACC

ABACC is a binational safeguards agency created by Argentina and Brazil in 1991 to ensure that the two countries are using nuclear materials strictly for peaceful purposes.

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Mendoza Agreement

The Mendoza Agreement, signed in 1991, was an agreement between Argentina, Brazil, and Chile which never entered into force. The Parties agreed not to develop, produce, acquire, stockpile or retain, transfer, or use chemical or biological weapons.

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