The treaty had 91 parties at the time of its first mandated review conference after 5 years of the treaty in effect.
Most nations felt that the purpose of the Conference was to strengthen the NPT through obtaining more parties and strengthening safeguards. At the time, only three nuclear weapons states were parties to the NPT - the Soviet Union, the United States, and the United Kingdom. The primary goal of the Conference was to examine the operation of the Treaty and suggest changes, while keeping in mind that a great number of parties is the ultimate goal.
Many non-nuclear weapons states voiced their concern that the Treaty was being implemented one-sidedly. They complained that the emphasis had been placed heavily on their obligations to non-proliferation, while little attention had been given to their peaceful nuclear rights or to the obligations of the nuclear weapons states. They wanted greater security assurances and assistance in the peaceful utilization of nuclear energy.
The non-nuclear weapons states posed the question of whether then NWS had satisfactorily met their obligations under Article VI to negotiate measures to halt the arms race and achieve nuclear disarmament. The Soviet Union and the United States responded that the two agreements to limit both offensive and defensive weapons under SALT I signified progress towards the execution of Article VI.
Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pursue negotiations in good faith on effective measures relating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at an early date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treaty on general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control.
Article VI, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
The issue of the peaceful use of nuclear energy was also evident at the Conference. Several NNWS claimed that requirements of Article III of the NPT placed them at a comparative disadvantage relative to states that were not parties. Non-party states could import nuclear materials and equipment without having to submit to IAEA safeguards.
Each non-nuclear-weapon State party to the Treaty undertakes to accept safeguards...in accordance with the Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency...for the exclusive purpose of verification of the fulfillment of its obligations assumed under this Treaty with a view to preventing diversion of nuclear energy from peaceful uses to nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices.
Section 1, Article III, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
In spite of the controversy at the Conference, the parties were able to agree on a Final Declaration. In the Declaration, the parties reaffirmed their support for the fundamental objective of preventing the further spread of nuclear arms. The member states expressed their serious concern that the nuclear arms race had continued unabated and that Article VI requirements were not being implemented in good faith. It urged the NWS to implement Article VI quickly and effectively. The Declaration welcomed the increasing number of parties but noted with concern that the Treaty had not achieved total universality.
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