The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was adopted on 26 October 1979 in Vienna, Austria. The initial signing ceremony took place in Vienna and at New York on 3 March 1980, and the convention entered into force on 8 February 1987. The convention is deposited with the International Atomic Energy Agency. In July 2005 a diplomatic conference was convened to amend the Convention and strengthen its provisions, [1] as a result of which it was renamed the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities.
As of October 2018, there are 157 state parties to the convention plus the European Atomic Energy Community.
Upon accession, 38 countries declared themself as not bound by the provisions of Article 17 paragraph 2 and did not accept the competence of the International Court of Justice in settlement of the disputes. Five countries withdrew these objections thereafter. [2]
Country name | Accession date | Withdrawal date |
---|---|---|
Algeria | 30 April 2003 | - |
Argentina | 06 April 1989 | - |
Azerbaijan | 19 January 2004 | - |
Bahamas | 21 May 2008 | - |
Bahrain | 10 May 2010 | - |
Belarus | 09 September 1993 | - |
Bulgaria | 10 April 1984 | 11 May 1994 |
China | 10 January 1989 | - |
Cuba | 26 September 1997 | - |
Cyprus | 23 July 1998 | - |
El Salvador | 15 December 2006 | - |
France | 06 September 1991 | - |
Guatemala | 23 April 1985 | - |
Hungary | 04 May 1984 | 30 November 1989 |
India | 12 March 2002 | - |
Indonesia | 05 November 1986 | - |
Israel | 22 January 2002 | - |
Jordan | 07 September 2009 | - |
Korea | 07 April 1982 | - |
Kuwait | 23 April 2004 | - |
Lao | 29 September 2010 | - |
Mongolia | 28 May 1986 | 18 June 1990 |
Mozambique | 03 March 2003 | - |
Myanmar | 06 December 2016 | - |
Oman | 11 June 2003 | - |
Pakistan | 12 September 2000 | - |
Peru | 11 January 1995 | - |
Poland | 05 October 1983 | 18 June 1997 |
Qatar | 09 March 2004 | - |
Romania | 23 November 1993 | - |
Russia | 25 May 1983 | 22 July 2007 |
Saint Lucia | 14 September 2012 | - |
Saudi Arabia | 07 January 2009 | - |
Singapore | 22 September 2014 | - |
South Africa | 17 September 2007 | - |
Spain | 06 September 1991 | - |
Turkey | 27 February 1985 | - |
Viet Nam | 04 October 2012 | - |
The United States Department of State says that:
The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material provides for certain levels of physical protection during international transport of nuclear material. It also establishes a general framework for cooperation among states in the protection, recovery, and return of stolen nuclear material. Further, the Convention lists certain serious offenses involving nuclear material which state parties are to make punishable and for which offenders shall be subject to a system of extradition or submission for prosecution. [3]
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an international organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy, and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. The IAEA was established as an autonomous organization on 29 July 1957. Though established independently of the United Nations through its own international treaty, the IAEA Statute, the IAEA reports to both the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
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The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961 is an international treaty that defines a framework for diplomatic relations between independent countries. Its aim is to facilitate "the development of friendly relations" among governments through a uniform set of practices and principles; most notably, it codifies the longstanding custom of diplomatic immunity, in which diplomatic missions are granted privileges that enable diplomats to perform their functions without fear of coercion or harassment by the host country. The Vienna Convention is a cornerstone of modern international relations and international law and is almost universally ratified and observed; it is considered one of the most successful legal instruments drafted under the United Nations.
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The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (VCLT) is an international agreement regulating treaties between states. Known as the "treaty on treaties", it establishes comprehensive rules, procedures, and guidelines for how treaties are defined, drafted, amended, interpreted, and generally operated. An international treaty is a written agreement between international law subjects reflecting their consent to the creation, alteration, or termination of their rights and obligations. The VCLT is considered a codification of customary international law and state practice concerning treaties.
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The Convention on Early Notification of a Nuclear Accident is a 1986 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) treaty whereby states have agreed to provide notification of any nuclear accident that occur within its jurisdiction that could affect other states. It, along with the Convention on Assistance in the Case of a Nuclear Accident or Radiological Emergency, was adopted in direct response to the April 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act of 1978, 22 U.S.C. § 3201, is a United States federal law declaring that nuclear explosive devices pose a perilous threat to the security interests of the United States and continued international progress towards world peace and the development of nations.
The Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management is a 1997 International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) treaty. It is the first treaty to address radioactive waste management on a global scale.
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