Global Issues: Nuclear Proliferation - Heads up on NPT Review Conference

The 2010 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will be held from 3rd-28th May 2010 at UN Headquarters in New York. The NPT Review happens every five years and the last one in 2005 ended in acrimony and disarray. No doubt Iran’s nuclear brinkmanship will be attracting attention. It is rumoured the Iranian President Ahmadinejad has applied for a US visa and may make an unforeseen appearance and no doubt he will prove both an attraction and a distraction – while no doubt asserting Iran’s right to pursue nuclear capability for peaceful purposes. US President Obama has provided strong talking points given the recent ‘New’ START Treaty with Russia, the US Nuclear Posture Review and the Nuclear Security Conference in Washington, which have been small but considered steps in establishing the US as a credible partner in the grand bargain. The premise of the NPT is that nuclear powers seek to reduce their arsenals and that maintain only peaceful nuclear programmes. Pres. Obama, especially at the Washington Conference, has tried to encourage bilateral support for sanctions against Iran, and he may use the NPT Review as an opportunity to pursue multi-lateral sanctions. However, it is more than likely that key brokers (such as China) will not wish to use it to single out Iran. Rather they might go for a more implicit approach of tightening inspection regimes and agreeing on punishments for leaving the NPT, which might serve as a warning to Iran if it continues to pursue ‘nuclear status’. Another, development which might spark a reaction is North Korea’s plan to test a nuclear bomb in two months time.

As the NPT Review is of clear relevance to the topic on Weapons of Mass Destruction it is worth keeping an eye out in the media and monitoring how the conference progresses.

Here is the link to the official UN NPT Review Conference website.