Columbia International Affairs Online: Policy Briefs

CIAO DATE: 06/2010

Nuclear Energy, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament: Briefing Notes for the 2010 NPT Review Conference

François Carrel-Billiard, Christine Wing

April 2010

International Peace Institute

Abstract

In reviewing the implementation of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, the 2010 Conference will have to define how to consolidate its achievements, reduce the divergence of views on its implementation, and address the current proliferation crises. Five years ago, the Conference failed to agree on a common way forward. This year, it needs to forge a new consensus among the parties to the NPT so that the treaty can overcome the many challenges it faces. Based on a series of roundtable meetings with member states held in New York between June 2009 and March 2010, these briefing notes aim to help promote a more constructive discussion by providing analyses of the issues at stake and by suggesting areas of common ground. The focus has been narrowed to a selection of topics related to nuclear energy, nonproliferation, and disarmament. Issues concerning the organization of the work of the Review Conference or the strengthening of the review process, however important, have not been included in the scope of these notes.