A Nuclear Weapons Convention
A Nuclear Weapons Convention is a proposed treaty to ban nuclear weapons and ensure their elimination. Countries are legally required to negotiate such a treaty, and experts have already produced a draft text. They argue that an NWC is more likely to succeed than a series of fragmented and inconsistent approaches to nuclear disarmament.
The draft treaty is modelled on similar conventions outlawing chemical weapons, biological weapons and anti-personnel landmines. It would complement rather than undermine existing nuclear weapons treaties, such as the Non-Proliferation Treaty and Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. It is feasible, necessary and long overdue.
What would it do?
The NWC would prohibit the development, testing, production, stockpiling, transfer, use and threat of use of nuclear weapons, as well as the production of fissile material suitable for making them (either highly enriched uranium or separated plutonium). It would require all nuclear-armed countries to destroy their nuclear weapons in stages (see below), the last being to place all fissile material under international control to prevent nuclear weapons ever being made again.
How would it be verified?
The NWC would establish an agency to ensure that countries comply with the terms of the treaty. This body would receive progress reports from nuclear-armed states, conduct inspections of weapons facilities, acquire intelligence through satellite photography and remote sensors, and monitor the production and transfer of materials suitable for making nuclear weapons.
How would it happen?
1. Take nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert
2. Remove nuclear weapons from deployment
3. Remove the warheads from their delivery vehicles
4. Disable the warheads by removing the explosive “pits”
5. Place the fissile material under United Nations control.
What is ICAN's role?
In 2007 ICAN coordinated the redrafting of the model NWC and launched Securing Our Survival (SOS): The Case for a Nuclear Weapons Convention. It reflects on the changed global security environment and answers critical questions relating to the process of nuclear disarmament. ICAN calls on all countries immediately to commence negotiations for an NWC. It is an idea whose time has come.
