Global perspective Human stories

Panel preparing for review of key arms non-proliferation treaty concludes first session

Panel preparing for review of key arms non-proliferation treaty concludes first session

A committee preparing for a 2005 conference to review a key nuclear arms non-proliferation accord completed its first session today at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Of the 187 States Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), 137 of them participated in the work of the Preparatory Committee for the 2005 Review Conference.

The Committee is responsible for assessing the implementation of the Treaty, facilitating discussion between States prior to the start of the Conference, and addressing procedural issues related to the organization of the 2005 meeting as well as future preparatory sessions.

During the past two weeks, the Committee, under the chairmanship of Henrik Salander of Sweden, discussed nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, nuclear-weapon-free zones, safeguards and the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Time was also allocated for consideration of specific issues such as nuclear disarmament, regional issues, including the resolution on the Middle East adopted by the 1995 Review Conference, as well as the safety and security of peaceful nuclear programmes.

The Preparatory Committee’s second session is scheduled for the spring of 2003 in Geneva. It will be held under the chairmanship of a representative of the Group of Eastern European States.