PRESS RELEASE

11 April 2003

Non-Proliferation Treaty under threat as North Korea withdraws and Counter-proliferation theory moves to centre stage

Having served an obligatory 90-day notice to quit, the Democratic Peoples’ Republic of Korea considers itself no longer bound by the provisions of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and seems determined to produce its own nuclear weapons.

Faced with the possibility of further ‘breakout’ from the 33 year-old treaty designed to curb both the spread and enhancement of nuclear weapons, the nations of the world will gather together in Geneva on 28 April to discuss how to make it effective – sooner rather than later.

‘Non-compliance’ is likely to be a major issue in Geneva with the nuclear weapons states focusing on those states believed to be pursuing clandestine weapons programmes, with the non-nuclear weapons states drawing attention to the lack of progress on the main objective of the NPT – global nuclear disarmament.

“As an organisation which closely follows developments in the transatlantic relationship, we are very concerned about the nuclear policy drift in the United States which is being mirrored in the UK,” said BASIC analyst Nigel Chamberlain.

Counter-proliferation theory has been in gestation for many years. With the election of the Bush Administration, the proponents of aggressive military intervention attained control over the Defense establishment in the most powerful military nation in history. The terrible events of September 11, 2001 provided them with a justification for the full implementation of their programme of action. Pre-emption soon followed, as did the policy of preparing for the use of nuclear weapons in response to a chemical or biological attack.

“These policies stand in contradiction to the security assurances that the US and UK have given, not to target non-nuclear weapons states with their own nuclear weapons,” said Mr Chamberlain “and to say we were dismayed to hear that the Foreign Office and MoD have turned their Non-Proliferation Departments into Counter-Proliferation Departments would be an understatement.”

See: ‘NPT In Crisis? Verified compliance is the key to moving forward’

See: ‘The NPT at a Crossroads’

See ‘Non-Proliferation & Counterproliferation: Complementary or Incompatible?’

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