U.S. Circulates Non-Proliferation Treaty for the U.N. Security Council

Following statements calling for nuclear non-proliferation by President Obama and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, the Obama administration seems to be keeping its word by putting non-proliferation on the U.N.'s agenda. On September 11, the United States circulated a draft resolution aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, which it hopes will be adopted by the U.N. Security Council's special session that will be presided by Obama on September 24.

Among other measures, the draft resolution calls for signatories of the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) to negotiate nuclear arms reduction, deplores aggressive proliferation that threatens international security (implying North Korea and Iran), encourages other countries to join the NPT, welcomes steps taken to create nuclear-weapon-free zones as those championed by some Arab states (which would require Israel to dispose of all the nuclear weapons they may possess- Israel neither confirms nor denies having a nuclear stockpile), urges countries to join the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), and supports the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)- the nuclear watchdog in Vienna.

The democratic platform for the 2008 presidential election comprised a strong agenda for nuclear arms control including U.S. ratification of the CTBT, strengthening the IAEA, and adhering to the NPT. It is encouraging that the Obama adminstration is acting on these promises. The onus is now on U.N. Security Council members to adopt this resolution, thereby taking concrete steps to make our world peaceful and more secure.

Read more here

Act NOW to support nuclear non-proliferation treaties