by CKR
Going beyond the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, several groups of nations have gotten together to ban nuclear weapons in their parts of the world. The value of additions like this to the NPT include that regional alliances can provide for mutual security as well as policing of the stated aim to remain without nuclear weapons. These groups have tended to be ignored in current discussions of how to prevent proliferation.
The Treaty of Tlatelolco (1967) makes Latin America a nuclear-weapon-free zone from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego. (For lists of countries, see the end of this post.)
The Treaty of Rarotonga (1985) sets up a nuclear-weapons-free zone in the South Pacific.
The Treaty of Bangkok (1997) makes Southeast Asia nuclear weapons free.
The Treaty of Pelindaba (1998) covers mainland Africa and nearby islands.
Mongolia and Austria have both declared their nuclear weapon free status through enacting domestic legislation, Austria in 1999 and Mongolia in 2000.
The seabed beyond a 12-mile coastal zone, outer space, and Antarctica have been declared off-limits to nuclear weapons.
A commentary in the 25 November Nature (subscription only) by C. Paul Robinson, the director of Sandia National Laboratories, advocates formation of NATO-like entities as part of a strategy to control proliferation.
Seems like it might be a good idea to begin with the nuclear-weapons-free zones. Addition of security guarantees by the nuclear weapons powers to these treaties would be a way of implementing Robinson’s suggestion.
The treaties on nuclear-weapons-free zones cover much of the world except North America, most of Europe, north Asia, and southwest Asia. Since bold actions seem to be the current fashion in US foreign policy, let me suggest one: make southwestern Asia a nuclear-weapons-free zone.
New governments in Iraq and Afghanistan should be encouraged to include provisions to remain nuclear weapons free. The nations of the Arabian peninsula should be encouraged to begin talks toward a nuclear-weapons-free zone. The ongoing European talks with Iran should move in this direction. The US should use its leverage with Israel.
Joint security assurances from the US, Europe, Russia, and China would provide a strong basis for the negotiations in the Middle East. India and Pakistan might even be included in those assurances. Bring in negotiators from the existing nuclear-weapons-free zones and from the states that gave up their Soviet nukes after the Soviet Union broke up (Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Belarus).
Will this be easy? No. Israel still refuses to acknowledge its nuclear arsenal. Suspicion of and among the nuclear powers is rife in the area.
Focus toward a constructive and specific goal could make a difference beyond vague threats about democracy delivered by force. A motivation for developing nuclear weapons is the desire to be treated as a full member of the world of nations. Working toward a nuclear-weapons-free zone in southwest Asia would extend this respect to those nations. This, along with the security guarantees, would remove two of the motivations for nuclear weapons development. Development of security guarantees among the nuclear powers would lessen their mutual suspicions. It’s in all their interests to damp down tensions in southwest Asia.
_______________________
The Treaty of Tlatelolco includes Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
The Treaty of Rarotonga includes Australia, Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Naurau, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Western Samoa.
The Treaty of Bangkok includes Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Viet Nam.
The Treaty of Pelindaba includes the entire continent of mainland Africa and the following islands: Agalega Island, Bassas da India, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, Cardagos Carajos Shoals, Chagos Archipelago - Diego Garcia, Comoros, Europa, Juan de Nova, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Prince Edward & Marion Islands, Principe, Reunion, Rodrigues Island, Sao Tome, Seychelles, and Tromelin Island.