Washington DC [US], August 1 (ANI): The US on Monday said it insists on full compliance with the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) safeguards and called on all NPT parties to raise standards wherever possible and to condemn violations where they occur.
"We will insist on the fullest compliance with NPT nonproliferation safeguards and call on all NPT Parties to raise standards wherever possible and to condemn violations where they occur. We will also work with our partners to increase access to the benefits of peaceful uses, which are not just limited to nuclear energy, but also include the application of nuclear technologies for human and animal health, water resource management, food security, and much more," US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said in a press statement on Monday.
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) is an international treaty aimed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
The NPT has for the past 50 years endured as the foundation of a system built on nuclear restraint.
The US led by Special Representative of the President for Nuclear Nonproliferation Adam Scheinman will join other NPT States Parties for the 2023 Preparatory Committee Meeting (PrepCom) in Vienna for the next two weeks to address the top challenges facing the nonproliferation regime and further strengthen the NPT.
Miller said the US stands firm in its commitment to work with States Parties at this Preparatory Committee meeting to ensure the agenda for the 2026 NPT Review Conference takes a balanced approach in addressing the Treaty's three pillars: nonproliferation, peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and further progress on disarmamentMiller said:"The challenges we face today serve as a stark reminder of why the NPT is indispensable and remains the cornerstone of the global nuclear nonproliferation regime."As per the US State Department Spokesperson, Russia's seizure of Ukraine's nuclear power facilities poses serious nuclear safety issues and undercuts Ukraine's right under the NPT to access the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
"The People's Republic of China's rapid and opaque nuclear weapons expansion continues unabated, and questions remain on Iran's nuclear program and safeguards compliance. And 20 years after announcing its withdrawal from the NPT, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) continues to develop its nuclear arsenal and engage in threatening rhetoric regarding its use," he said.
Miller said the US, and its partners around the world will work to address challenges and set out a positive agenda for this NPT review cycle.
"The United States continues to work in good faith to advance all aspects of the treaty, including the Article VI obligation to pursue good faith negotiations on effective measures relating to nuclear disarmament," he said.
"Our top priority for the PrepCom - and for this review cycle - must be to preserve and strengthen this critical treaty, not in spite of the challenges we face but because of them," he added. (ANI)
