Treaty for Peace? or Treaty for Nuclear Power?

written by 10128 Hwang Uikyu, 10724 Jeong Jaewon, 

20424 Choi Sohi, 20605 Min Jeongyeon, 20615 Yun Wonhyeong

The nuclear weapon is considered as the most deadly man-made weapon. 

Countries around the world have taken many steps to prevent nuclear weapons from being misused and to maintain peace in the world. One of them, it’s the nonproliferation treaty (NPT).

NPT is an international treaty whose objective is to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, and to further the goal of achieving nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament.

Nuclear states, such as the United States, France, China, Russia, and the United Kingdom, are only required to try to reduce their nuclear weapons progressively.

Also, some point out the limitations of the nuclear nonproliferation system, led by the NPT and the International Atomic Energy Agency, due to the North's push for a nuclear test. 

However, since the treaty was ultimately enacted with the aim of reaching world peace by minimizing nuclear weapons around the world.

 

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

 

The United State of America has nuclear weapons.

In 2014, the U.S. said it had 4,650 nuclear warheads in its possession, and if the 2,700 retired nuclear warheads awaiting dismantlement are added, its inventory would be about 7,400.

The United States is one of the nuclear powers officially recognized by the NPT. 

NPT was adopted at the U.N. General Assembly in 1969 to prevent nuclear weapons from being manufactured and used indiscriminately. It took effect in 1970 and decided to discuss the existence of the system 25 years later and was extended indefinitely in 1995.

The United States conducted a nuclear test, which is called the Manhattan Project. Manhattan project created during World War II produced the first nuclear weapons.

The position on nuclear weapons is complicated. Many countries that have nuclear weapons are linked to the U.S. So the U.S. doesn`t want other countries have to nuclear weapons.

Countries that have left the NPT are even more reluctant to have nuclear weapons. For example, Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPR) had attempt to possess nuclear weapons, the U.S. has taken economic retaliation to DPR. 

As you can see, the U.S. is not positive about other countries having nuclear weapons.

The U.S. shares nuclear weapons with Germany, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey as NATO members.

 

EDITORIAL OPINION

Since the U.S. is a country that possesses nuclear weapons certified by the NPT, the U.S. should actively step up efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and prevent future nuclear war. As a global community, if we live with each other in consideration, everyone can maintain a good relationship and make a good world. Therefore, the U.S. should manage its nuclear weapons well to keep peace around the world.

 

CHINA

 

Recently China, the official nuclear state of the NPT, is also drawing keen attention as the issue of nuclear weapons is being talked about in the world.

China is currently taking its own steps to prevent nuclear proliferation. 

First of all, in the case of Iran's nuclear test, it has signed an Iranian nuclear agreement with other nuclear states, including Iran, to prevent nuclear proliferation. In the case of North Korea's nuclear test, even though, it is a partner country, it is in favor of and trying to resolve its nuclear dismantlement.

China is the only nuclear state that provides a security guarantee for non-nuclear states. 

China has set up its own principle and stated to the world that it will not use or threaten nuclear weapons in any environment at any time in a non-nuclear or nuclear-free zone. It also has a policy of not launching preemptive nuclear strikes against other nuclear states.

 

In 2005, the Chinese Foreign Ministry published a white paper. The Chinese government says it will not be the first to use nuclear weapons anytime and in any environment. The white paper also said that the “no first use” policy will remain unchanged in the future and will not always use or threaten nuclear weapons in any environment in a non-nuclear state or free nuclear weapons zone.

China successfully conducted a nuclear test in 1964 and now has about 300 nuclear warheads. However, China voluntarily banned preemptive nuclear strikes because it was designed to counter the continued production of nuclear weapons by the U.S., U.K. and France.

In the future, China will continue to ban, and will make great efforts to denuclearize Iran and North Korea to prevent further proliferation of nuclear weapons internationally.

 

EDITORIAL OPINION

Even though China doesn't have good relationship with U.S., China knows that it is not good for itself to make some problems about nuclear bombs with other countries. So, President Xijinping would follow what UN orders, for example that some countries should stop making nuclear weapons. Because of these reasons, I agree with nuclear bomb equipment of China.

 

  

FRANCE

 

France started developing the nuclear weapons independently from U.S. 

After a few months of World War Ⅱ, Charles De Gaulle who was the leader of Gouvernement provisoire de la République française (Provisional Government of the French Republic), ordered to develop the nuclear weapons and established the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA).

France has 300 nuclear warheads.

France insists that the transparency of the existence of the nuclear weapons should be obligated in all nations, because it can be considered dangerous to possess the nuclear weapons or to develop it without the conscious of the other nations.

France asserts the accurate and sure sanctions for the nations that use the nuclear for military purpose. 

If the nation rejects the inspection of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it will affect deadly in international security because it can’t manage and regulate the migrate and the location of the nuclear. It emphasized in prohibiting, only one nation to inspect and to prevent the military use of the nuclear weapons.

 

EDITORIAL OPINION

As Iran declared to diminish the rage of the nuclear agreement fulfillment in 2015, France demanded Iran not to violate the obligation. It shows the stance of France well. Also, France announced that the French government will examine the downscale of the nuclear agreement fulfillment of Iran with IAEA.

As France insisted, I think it is important that nuclear weapons be strictly controlled by rules set by nuclear powers. Practically, it is impossible to get rid of nuclear weapons, and their existence is really dangerous because of their destructive power. So, I think that the global citizens have rights to know the present condition of using them and the countries who have them should keep the transparency of them.

  

IRAN

 

Iran is a member of the NPT and currently a nuclear-free country. However, Iran has attempted to develop nuclear weapons and is likely to do so in the future.

Iran joined the NPT in 1968 but has continued development of uranium enrichment and nuclear technology. It led to economic sanctions and the U.N. Security Council. 

Then, on April 1^st, 2015, permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Iran reached a nuclear agreement. In December of that year, Iran's suspension of its nuclear weapons development was confirmed,

Iran's economic activities were freed following the suspension of sanctions against Teheran in January 2016.

However, after Trump was elected as the president of the United States, he declared that the U.S. would negate the nuclear deal with Iran and began sanctions against Iran. 

In response, Iran also moved to scrap the nuclear deal in May 2019 and said it would withdraw from the NPT.

Iran uses NPT as a card against economic sanctions, and blames the inequality of NPT, which divides nuclear weapons states from non-nuclear ones.

 

EDITORIAL OPINION

NPT is surely the treaty for nonproliferation of the nuclear weapons and the peace. However, from the view of nuclear-free state, as it’s the treaty between nuclear states, it can be seen as a hypocritical treaty that justifies their nuclear weapons and prevents other countries from nuclear weapons. Despite all the situation, I think the reaction of Iran can cause international conflict and the peace should be the priority for Iran.

 

  

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

 

Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) possession of nuclear weapons has largely impacted peace in Northeast Asia and beyond, constantly bringing focus from the international community.

U.S. President Donald Trump recently said it was a big mistake for his former aide John Bolton to offer a “Libyan model” in negotiations on DPRK's denuclearization, lots of interest was once again prompted.

DPRK is a nuclear power that withdrew from the NPT in 2003, a country that is bringing instability to the peace of the world.

According to a declassified CIA report, the reason DPRK joined the NPT in 1985 was not for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, but for the Soviet Union's nuclear development and military and economic assistance. DPRK was putting its own interests ahead of peace as a whole.

 

EDITORIAL OPINION

It is understandable that countries put their own interests first. The international community goes along, intertwined with the interests of many countries. However, only for the sake of the country's own good, it should not ignore the interests of other countries. 

When crucial ideologies such as world peace are well accomplished, each country can also make true prosperity and development. It can be said that the North's move, which does not push for denuclearization despite the ongoing demands, goes against this. 

From the standpoint of DPRK, which is believed to be bringing threats to world peace, there is also something to say regarding the NPT. It is that the treaty legitimately recognizes the nuclear weapons of several giant countries. Peace in the world requires the efforts of all nations, not of one state, on the basis of this. To achieve true peace, North Korea needs to listen to the international community, while world reconsidering the fairness of the treaty.