Background - 18 April, 2006
In addition to closing down nuclear test sites to delay nuclear explosions, blocking ships carrying nuclear weapons grade materials, and generally being a nuisance to the nuclear powers, we also work in a number of political arenas to help strengthen the legal frameworks that will ensure a nuclear free future.
Greenpeace activists shouldn't have to create street theatre about the UN destroying missiles -- this ought to happen in real life.
These include:
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT),which came into force in 1970, is the only legally-binding international agreement on nuclear disarmament. It commits 183 of the world's governments to never develop nuclear weapons and the five official nuclear powers (US, Russian Federation, UK, France and China)to the total elimination of their nuclear stockpiles. The only countries that are not part of the NPT are India, Israel and Pakistan. North Korea's withdrawal from the treaty has not been accepted officially, and remains in doubt.
The Conference on Disarmament (CD), was established in 1979 as the world's sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. It was a result of the first Special Session on Disarmament of the United Nations General Assembly held in 1978.
The United Nations First Committee,is a subcommittee of the UN General Assembly and deals with disarmament and international security. The First Committee comprises all 191 members of the UN and meets every September/October.