For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 7, 2005
March 7, 2005
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
Thirty-five years ago, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
Nuclear Weapons entered into force. Today, almost all nations are
party to the Treaty. The NPT represents a key legal barrier to nuclear
weapons proliferation and makes a critical contribution to
international security.
In May, the parties to the NPT will convene the Seventh Review
Conference of the Treaty. In the context of this review, I reaffirm
the determination of the United States to carry out its treaty
commitments and to work to ensure its continuance in the interest of
world peace and security.
NPT Parties must take strong action to confront the threat of
noncompliance with the NPT in order to preserve and strengthen the
Treaty's nonproliferation undertakings. We cannot allow rogue states
that violate their commitments and defy the international community to
undermine the NPT's fundamental role in strengthening international
security. We must therefore close the loopholes that allow states to
produce nuclear materials that can be used to build bombs under the
cover of civilian nuclear programs.
For international norms to be effective, they must be enforced. It
is the charge of the International Atomic Energy Agency to uncover
banned nuclear activity and to report these violations. The IAEA
safeguards system is therefore an important means of detecting and
preventing NPT violations. The IAEA must have the tools it needs to do
its work, especially universal adherence to the Additional Protocol.
The United States remains firmly committed to its obligations under
the NPT. Our record demonstrates this commitment, including the Moscow
Treaty concluded in 2002. The United States will continue to play a
leading role in strengthening the nonproliferation regime. We have
undertaken concrete actions and made several proposals to strengthen
the NPT, the IAEA, and the broader nonproliferation regime, including
launching the Proliferation Security Initiative.
It is essential in these times of great challenge to international
security, particularly when rogue states and terrorists seek to acquire
weapons of mass destruction, that the international community work
together to confront the dangers of nuclear proliferation. I call upon
all states that are party to the Treaty to act promptly and effectively
to meet the challenges to the NPT and our common security. By doing
so, we can ensure that it remains an effective instrument of global
security. ###
|