Title: Interpreting the withdrawal clause of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): options within the 2010 NPT review cycle

Authors: Jenny Nielsen

Addresses: School of Social Sciences, Politics and International Relations Division, University of Southampton, Southampton SO17 1BJ, UK

Abstract: The actions of the Democratic People|s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 2003, resulting in the first case of a state party exercising its sovereign right to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its subsequent test of an explosive nuclear device in October 2006, have prioritised the need for a consolidated clarification of the duties, responsibilities, procedures and consequences associated with implementing Article X.1 of the NPT. Given the existing broad support for such a clarified interpretation amongst NPT state parties, the 2010 NPT review cycle presents an opportune juncture to provide such a consolidation of the Treaty|s withdrawal provision.

Keywords: Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons; NPT; withdrawal clause; peremptory norm; NPT review process; Article X.1; treaty interpretation; multilateral treaties; 2010 NPT Review Conference; 2007 NPT PrepCom; subsequent agreement; Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties; North Korea.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNUCL.2008.024754

International Journal of Nuclear Law, 2008 Vol.2 No.2, pp.109 - 114

Published online: 30 Apr 2009 *