CIAO DATE: 08/2010
April 2010
Center on International Cooperation
At the time of finalizing this report, the US and Russia have signed an agreement on a replacement to the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), just days before the opening of a high-level Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, D.C. After years of divisiveness and lack of progress, it is tempting to conclude that the nuclear nonproliferation and disarmament regime is on the upswing. This is overdue. Both the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty and the broader regime have suffered from a series of events and actions that have eroded their credibility in the eyes of governments. Over the past several years, doubts have mounted as to whether the regime is indeed capable of addressing the proliferation of nuclear weapons, managing the risks posed by ostensibly peaceful nuclear programs of several governments that have provided cause for concern, maintain progress on disarmament by the five nuclear-weapon states, or deter non-state or terrorist use of nuclear materials.
Resource link: Preparing For A Second Nuclear Age [PDF] - 534K