Model Nuclear Weapons Convention
Alyn Ware
At the founding of the Abolition 2000 Network in the Hague in November 1995, a working group on a Nuclear Weapons Convention was established with the aims of
- drafting a Model Nuclear Weapons Convention which would provide for the prohibition of nuclear weapons and for their elimination, and
- Promoting negotiations on such a convention.
Drafting the Model Convention
The aim of a Model Nuclear Weapons Convention (NWC) is to indicate the feasibility of the elimination of nuclear weapons through such an international agreement. The Model NWC is intended to stimulate negotiations by States on the elimination of nuclear weapons, and provide guidance and focus for such negotiations. In addition, establishing a framework for the elimination of nuclear weapons will assist in achieving steps towards this goal.
An initial drafting meeting was held in New York on March 23, followed by another on May 18, 1996.[1] From these a Statement of Purpose, Draft Outline and Draft Preamble were formulated. These are available from the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy.
In addition, working groups were established to draft particular articles of the Model NWC, including general obligations, verification, administering agency, dispute resolution, national implementation measures, compliance & enforcement, individual responsibility, entry into force, timeframe for elimination, disposition of fissile material and financing.
A discussion draft is expected to be available in September and a public draft in March, 1997, after consultations with diplomats on the draft.
Promoting negotiations
The Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy is currently consulting with governments on a United Nations General Assembly resolution to follow-up on the World Court's opinion by calling for the beginning of negotiations on a Nuclear Weapons Convention. Readers are encouraged to urge their government to support this resolution when it is introduced and voted on in the United Nations this October or November.
According to the unanimous opinion of the International Court of Justice, all countries, not just the nuclear weapon States, have an obligation to support negotiations for nuclear disarmament "in all its aspects." Thus, we would argue that all countries have an obligation to support the General Assembly resolution calling for such negotiations.
LCNP is also discussing a number of other proposals for encouraging negotiations on a NWC, including its promotion in the 1997 Preparatory Meeting for the Non Proliferation Treaty Review Conference, at the Conference on Disarmament, and by the coalition of nuclear weapon free zones which is currently being formed. One such proposal calls for a special meeting of parties of the Non Proliferation Treaty to begin negotiations on the NWC.
At this stage it is generally felt that it is best to push the NWC at all disarmament fora possible in order to put the most pressure on the nuclear weapon States to come to the negotiating table.
[1] On the first meeting see J. Scheffran, Nuclear Weapon Convention Drafting Process. Makes Process INESAP Bulletin No. 9, pp. 37-38.
Published in: INESAP Information Bulletin No. 10
