Washington: The new UN Security Council
resolution on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament makes
it difficult for the NPT signatory countries to withdraw from
this regime and calls upon nations to enter into safeguard
agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
"These steps are important in helping address
situations where a country uses access to the civilian nuclear
benefits of the NPT to cloak a nascent nuclear weapons program
and then withdraws from the NPT once it has acquired
sufficient technical expertise for its weapons program," the
White House said in a fact sheet.
Unanimously approved by the Security Council, the
Resolution includes new provisions to deter withdrawal from
the NPT and to ensure that nuclear energy is used in a
framework that reduces proliferation dangers and adheres
to high standards for security, the White House said.
The Council committed to address without delay any
state`s notification of withdrawal from the NPT and affirmed
that states will be held responsible for any violations of the
NPT committed prior to their withdrawal from the Treaty, it
said.
Members of the SC also endorsed important norms to
reduce the likelihood that a peaceful nuclear program can be
diverted to a weapons program, including support for stricter
national export controls on sensitive nuclear technologies
and reserve the right to require that material and equipment
provided prior to termination be returned if safeguards
agreements are abrogated.
The Council also expressed strong support for ensuring
the IAEA has the authority and resources necessary to carry
out its mission to verify both the declared use of nuclear
materials and facilities and the absence of undeclared
activities and affirmed the Council`s resolve to support the
IAEA`s efforts to verify whether states are in compliance with
their safeguards obligations, the White House said.
It calls upon states to conclude safeguards agreements
and an Additional Protocol with the IAEA, so that the IAEA
will be in a position to carry out all of the inspections
necessary to ensure that materials and technology from
peaceful nuclear uses are not used to support a weapons
program.
The Council also endorsed IAEA work on multilateral
approaches to the fuel cycle, including assurances of fuel
supply to make it easier for countries to choose not to
develop enrichment and reprocessing capabilities.
The White House said the resolution strengthens
implementation for resolution 1540 which requires governments
to establish domestic controls to prevent the proliferation of
nuclear, chemical, or biological weapons and their means of
delivery.
Full implementation of resolution 1540 by all UN
member states will require additional financial and political
support, the fact sheet noted.
Bureau Report
