For immediate release: April 2, 2010
Media contacts: Daryl G. Kimball, Executive Director, (202) 463-8270 x107; Tom Collina, Research Director, (202) 463-8270 x104
(Washington, D.C.) In May, more than 150 nations will meet in New York for the 2010 nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference. States Parties will discuss implementation and compliance with treaty commitments, and also consider proposals to strengthen and update the pact.
In an address delivered March 31 at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, ACA executive director Daryl G. Kimball describes the major issues and points of contention at the conference and outlined key objectives in each area that could form the basis for a common "Action Plan" on nonproliferation and disarmament.
He spoke alongside U.S. Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation, Susan Burk. The March issue of ACA's journal, Arms Control Today, also features an in-depth interview with Ambassador Burk.
Kimball described the stakes at the upcoming Review Conference, as well as the proliferation challenges faced by the international community. He discussed the specific issues that will be on the agenda, and gave a series of recommendations for strengthening the nonproliferation regime going forward.
Kimball highlighted the fact that "a vast majority of the 180 plus NPT States Parties actually do agree on a substantial number of practical measures that would strengthen and update the treaty."
The conference discussions will likely focus on issues related to withdrawal and noncompliance, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, nuclear disarmament, steps toward a nuclear weapons free zone in the Middle East, and civil nuclear trade with states outside the NPT, Kimball said.
"U.S. leadership is essential but not sufficient. Updating the highly successful NPT for its next 40 years requires strong leadership and action by other nuclear-armed states, as well as the nonnuclear weapon state majority" he said.
Kimball's remarks are online here <http://www.armscontrol.org/events/StrengtheningNPT>.
The full transcript of the March 31 event, including Ambassador Burk's presentation, is available here <http://www.carnegieendowment.org/npp/events/index.cfm?fa=eventdetail&id=2841>
Additional ACA Resources on the NPT
Further analysis and perspectives on the NPT review conference are available through www.armscontrol.org and ACA's monthly journal Arms Control Today.
- "Major Proposals to Strengthen the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty:A Resource Guide for the 2010 Review Conference" report by Cole Harvey and ACA staff. See http://www.armscontrol.org/reports
- Interview with Special Represenative Susan Burk in Arms Control Today, March 2010. See http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2010_03/Burk
- "Prospects for the NPT at the 2010 NPT Review Conference," by Patricia Lewis, March 2010. See http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2010_03/Lewis
- "Looking Back: Good News and Bad News on the NPT," by Michael Krepon and Samuel Black, March 2010. See http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2010_03/LookingBack