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WMD Possessors and Aspirants

Five states, the "P-5", are defined as nuclear weapon states under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT): Britain, China, France, US and Russia. At least three more are de facto nuclear weapon possessors (the D-3): India, Pakistan and Israel. These eight have the most advanced missile programmes and have also had, and in some cases may continue to have, biological and/or chemical weapons or programmes.

Several further states are viewed as of proliferation concern or have programmes which have been exposed and are now being addressed and dismantled. These include: Iraq, Iran, North Korea (DPRK), Libya and Syria.

This section gives news, analyses or documentation relating to the possession, proliferation or aspirations to acquire nuclear, chemical or biological weapons by states or groups other than Britain and the United States, which are covered in separate detail. This replaces previously separate features on Iraq, South Asia and Russia, but provides links to past coverage of those states or regions.

Latest Addition

Iran

Iran: Recent Documents and Statements

Following Iran's resumption of activities at its uranium conversion facility at Isfahan (see: Iran's Nuclear Programme: EU-3 Snubbed as Iran begins Uranium Conversion at Isfahan, Disarmament Diplomacy, Issue No. 80, Autumn 2005), the September meeting of the IAEA Board of Governors has adopted a resolution on the implementation of safeguards in the Islamic Republic of Iran, which finds Iran to be in "non compliance" with its NPT safeguards.

The resolution, which was adopted by a vote of 22 in favour, 1 against and 12 abstentions, fell short of directly referring Iran to the UN Security Council, stating that its nuclear programme had "given rise to questions that are within the competence of the Security Council". Earlier drafts had called for more extensive Security Council involvement.

Following the meeting IAEA Director General Dr Mohamed ElBaradei stated that, "Everyone acknowledged that the issue remains very much here in Vienna, that there is ample room here, still, for negotiations, that the issue has not been deferred to the Security Council."

Since the September IAEA meeting, Russia has reportedly proposed to Iran that instead of being enriched at home, converted uranium (UF6), would be enriched in Russia and then sent back to Iran. The US appears now to have given its support to this proposal, in a briefing by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley below. The EU3 are now seeking to resume negotiations with Iran in December.

Recent Statements and Resolutions

Iran: Previous IAEA Statements and Resolutions

Iran: Previous US Statements

Iran: Previous European Statements

Iran: Coverage in Disarmament Diplomacy

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North Korea

Joint Statement on North Korea's Nuclear Programme, September 19, 2005

The fourth round of Six Party talks on North Korea's nuclear programme resumed from September 13 - 19, 2005, and succeeded in agreeing a Joint Statement, reaffirming the goal of "verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula" and "agreed to discuss, at an appropriate time, the subject of the provision of light water reactor to the DPRK".

However, since the statement was agreed, North Korea has issued a statement, demanding that the US "should not even dream of the issue of the DPRK's dismantlement of its nuclear deterrent before providing LWRs [Light Water Reactors]" - one of the sticking points during the talks.

The first phase of the fifth round of six party talks took place from November 9 - 11, 2005. US Chief Negotiator Christopher Hill has described the next steps as, "discussions on key elements of the Joint Statement, especially regarding DPRK actions to declare and dismantle its nuclear weapons program, and actions that the international community will take to verify that dismantlement. We will also begin to consider economic cooperation, energy assistance and a normalization process. We will be drawing up time-lines and sequencing of actions."

Previous meetings of the Six Party Talks

North Korea: Coverage in Disarmament Diplomacy

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Iraq

Iraq: Coverage in Disarmament Diplomacy

Iraq: Documents & Statements

Acronym Institute coverage of Iraq from 1998 - 2003 is available at: http://www.acronym.org.uk/iraq.

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South Asia

South Asia: Coverage in Disarmament Diplomacy

South Asia: Documents & Statements

Acronym Institute coverage of South Asia from 1998 - 2003 is available at: http://www.acronym.org.uk/sasia/index.htm.

Libya: Documents & Analysis

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Syria: Documents & Analysis

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Russia: Documents & Statements

Acronym Institute coverage of US-Russia relations from 2001 - 2003 is available at: http://www.acronym.org.uk/start/index.htm.

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France: Documents & Statements

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© 2005 The Acronym Institute.