“Forty-five years ago . . . the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty entered into force,” U.S. President Barack Obama said recently in a statement issued by the White House on the anniversary of the Treaty. “Thanks to worldwide collective efforts and commitment, the [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] has become the cornerstone of the nuclear nonproliferation regime, reinforcing international peace and security, and preventing the further spread of nuclear weapons while promoting the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.”
Today, the United States’ nuclear stockpile has been reduced by 85 percent since the height of the Cold War. That is a level not seen since the 1950s.
“The United States seeks the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons,” President Obama said. “The [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] remains essential today, and our efforts to achieve nuclear disarmament cannot succeed unless we stand together to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and work for full compliance.”
The United States is meeting its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations and is committed to further strengthening the nonproliferation regime.
“The United States has reduced the role nuclear weapons play in our security and reduced the size of our arsenal,” President Obama said. “Our commitment to non-proliferation is at the center of our efforts, along with our P5+1 partners, to reach a diplomatic agreement that prevents Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
The International Atomic Energy Agency plays a critical role in promoting the safe, secure uses of nuclear energy and technology, and in ensuring that it remains exclusively peaceful.
“We can only realize the full benefits of the peaceful uses of nuclear energy to advance development and protect the environment if we are confident that civil nuclear energy will not be diverted for weapons,” President Obama said. “As we prepare for the Ninth Review Conference of the [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty], the United States stands ready to work with other [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty signatory countries] to achieve a successful outcome that reinforces the vitality of this Treaty which is so fundamental to global security.”
