Non-Proliferation TreatyThe Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) entered into force in 1970 with the backdrop of concern of proliferation and spiralling nuclear stockpiles. Signatories of the Treaty without nuclear weapons agree not to acquire them and those with nuclear weapons (UK, USA, Russia, China and France) promise to disarm. Three states who posses nuclear weapons and are not signatories are India, Pakistan and Israel and they cannot sign the treaty without first getting rid of their nuclear stockpiles.Article VI of the NPT states that: “Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a Treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.” Therefore binding nuclear states to disarmament. A legal opinion by Rabinder Singh QC and Professor Christine Chinkin, of Matrix Chambers concluded that a replacement of the UK Trident system would constitute a breach of Article VI of the NPT. The 1996 advisory report of the International Court of Justice stated: “the threat or use of nuclear weapons would generally be contrary to the rules of international law applicable in armed conflict, and in particular the principles and rules of humanitarian law” (paragraph 2E) “states must never make civilians the object of attack and must consequently never use weapons that are incapable of distinguishing between civilian and military targets” (paragraph 78) Advisory opinion A Nuclear Weapons Convention Yorkshire CND believes a major step on the road to nuclear disarmament would be through the adoption of a Nuclear Weapons Convention. The proposed treaty would prohibit the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons as well as provide for their elimination. Such conventions have been used to outlaw biological weapons, chemical weapons and land mines. It must be possible to do the same for nuclear weapons. The International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons was established in 2007 and has more than 200 members in 50 countries as well as thousands of individuals who have signed the pledge for a nuclear free world.
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