Chronology of Events Relating to Nuclear Non-Proliferation

The Treaty formally establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) is signed in Rome.

29 July 1957
The Statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), opened for signature on 26 October 1956, comes into force. The Agency is established to facilitate the peaceful uses of nuclear energy, while ensuring that the assistance the Agency provides will not be used for military purposes.

20 November 1959
On the initiative of Ireland, the UN General Assembly adopts resolution 1380 (XIV), by which it suggests that the Ten-Nation Disarmament Committee consider the feasibility of an international agreement by which the nuclear-weapon Powers would not hand over control of those weapons to other Powers, and non-nuclear-weapon States would not manufacture such weapons.

1 December 1959
The Antarctic Treaty is signed in Washington, stipulating that Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. It prohibits any measures of a military nature, including the testing of any type of weapons.

20 December 1960
On the initiative of Ireland, the General Assembly adopts resolution 1576 (XV), by which it calls upon both nuclear-and non-nuclear-weapon States, pending agreement on the prevention of wider dissemination of nuclear weapons, to refrain, as a temporary and voluntary measure, from acts that would lead to further proliferation.

1961
The IAEA establishes its first safeguards system.

4 December 1961
On the initiative of Sweden, the General Assembly adopts resolution 1664 (XVI), by which it requests the

Secretary-General to inquire under what conditions States not possessing nuclear weapons would be willing to undertake not to acquire them.

Upon the initiative of Ireland, the General Assembly adopts, without a vote, resolution 1665 (XVI), by which it calls upon the nuclear-weapon States in particular to endeavour to conclude an international agreement on non-dissemination of nuclear weapons and upon all States to cooperate for this purpose.

5 August 1963
The Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water (the Partial Test-Ban Treaty) is signed by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America. On 8 August, it is opened for signature in Moscow, London and Washington.

17 August 1965
The United States submits to the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament a draft treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

24 September 1965
The USSR submits to the General Assembly a draft treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.

19 November 1965
On the initiative of eight non-aligned States, the General Assembly adopts resolution 2028 (XX), which contains five principles on which negotiation of a non-prolifer-ation treaty is to be based.

1965
The IAEA revises its safeguards system.

November 1966
The General Assembly adopts two resolutions on non-proliferation: resolution 2149 (XXI), by which it appeals to all States, pending conclusion of a nuclear non- proliferation treaty, to renounce actions that might hamper agreement on such a treaty, and resolution 2153 A (XXI), in which it calls upon the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament to give priority to the question of non-proliferation and also to consider the question of assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States.

27 January 1967
The Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (the Outer Space Treaty) is opened for signature (A/ RES/ 2222 (XI), annex). The Treaty prohibits the placing of nuclear weapons or any other weapons of mass destruction in outer space, stipulating that that environment shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

14 February 1967
The Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (the Treaty of Tlatelolco) is opened for signature in Mexico City. The Treaty establishes the first nuclear-weapon-free zone in a densely populated region, and creates the Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean (OPANAL) to oversee its implementation.

August 1967
The Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament considers two separate but identical draft texts of a non-proliferation treaty, submitted by the USSR and the United States, as well as a number of amendments submitted by other members.

19 December 1967
The General Assembly adopts resolution 2346 A (XXII), in which it requests the Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament to present it with a full report on the negotiations on a non-proliferation treaty on or before 15 March 1968.

1 January 1968
The Treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community (EURATOM) enters into force.

January�� March 1968
The Eighteen-Nation Committee on Disarmament examines further revisions of the draft treaty texts submitted by the USSR and the United States, which incorporate some of the suggestions of the non-nuclear-weapon States, and submits another revision to the General Assembly at its resumed twenty-second session.

12 June 1968
After further revision�� concerning mainly the preamble and articles IV and V�� the General Assembly commends the draft text of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which is annexed to Assembly resolution 2373 (XXII).

19 June 1968
The UN Security Council adopts resolution 255 (1968) on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States.

1 July 1968
The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (also known as the "Non-Proliferation Treaty", or the "NPT") is opened for signature in London, Moscow and Washington�� the United Kingdom, the USSR and the United States having been designated the depositary Governments.

16 September 1968
The IAEA revises its safeguards system with further additional provisions for safeguarded nuclear material in conversion plants and fabrication plants.

5 March 1970
The NPT enters into force. The IAEA establishes its safeguards system for NPT parties.

11 February 1971
The Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil Thereof (the Sea-Bed Treaty) is opened for signature.

26 May 1972
The United States and the USSR sign two agreements to halt the growth in their strategic arms: the Treaty on the Limitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems (the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty) and the Interim Agreement on Certain Measures with respect to the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms. These agreements are referred to as SALT I.

3 July 1974
The United States and the USSR sign the Treaty on the Limitation of Underground Nuclear Weapon Tests (the Threshold Test-Ban Treaty).

5�� 30 May 1975
The First Review Conference of the Parties to the NPT is held in Geneva. The UN Secretary-General and the Director General of the IAEA address the Conference. The Conference adopts a Final Declaration by consensus.

28 May 1976
The United States and the USSR sign the Treaty on Underground Nuclear Explosions for Peaceful Purposes (the Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty).

21 September 1977
Fifteen nuclear supplier countries, known as the Nuclear Suppliers Group or the London Club, reach agreement in London on a set of principles and guidelines to govern the transfer of nuclear materials, equipment and technology. The suppliers' policies are based on a "trigger list" of nuclear and other materials for which certain conditions would have to be met before they would be exported.

23 May�� 30 June 1978
The General Assembly holds its tenth special session �� the first special session devoted to disarmament �� in New York. The session ends with the adoption by consensus of a Final Document.

At the special session and later in the year, the five nuclear-weapon States make unilateral security assur-ances to non-nuclear-weapon States.

18 June 1979
The United States and the USSR sign the Treaty on the Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (referred to as SALT II).

3 March 1980
The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material is opened for signature in Vienna and New York; the Convention applies to nuclear material used for peaceful purposes while in international nuclear trans-port (INFCIRC/ 274/ Rev. 1).

11 August�� 7 September 1980
The Second NPT Review Conference is held in Geneva. The UN Secretary-General conveys a message to the Conference and the Director General of the IAEA addresses the Conference.

7 June�� 10 July 1982
The General Assembly holds its second special session devoted to disarmament in New York. At the special session, China, France and the USSR make declarations regarding unilateral security assurances.

6 August 1985
The South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty (the Treaty of Rarotonga) is opened for signature.

27 August�� 21 September 1985
The Third NPT Review Conference is held in Geneva. The UN Secretary-General conveys a message to the Conference and the Director General of the IAEA addresses the Conference. The Conference adopts a Final Declaration by consensus.

23 March�� 10 April 1987
The UN Conference for the Promotion of International Cooperation in the Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy is held in Geneva, but is unable to reach agreement on principles for international cooperation that would promote the objectives of the full utilization of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the prevention of the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

16 April 1987
The Missile Technology Control Regime, established by seven industrialized countries, establishes guidelines for sensitive missile-relevant transfers.

30 November 1987
The General Assembly, by its resolution 42/ 38 C in conjunction with resolution 41/ 59 N, establishes a system for an annual register of data on nuclear explosions to be submitted to it by the Secretary-General following notification of such tests by Member States.

8 December 1987
The United States and the USSR sign the Treaty on the Elimination of Their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles (the INF Treaty).

1 June 1990
The United States and the USSR sign verification Protocols to the 1974 Threshold Test-Ban Treaty and the 1976 Peaceful Nuclear Explosions Treaty.

20 August�� 14 September 1990
The Fourth NPT Review Conference is held in Geneva. The UN Secretary-General conveys a message to the Conference and the Director General of IAEA addresses the Conference.

7�� 18 January 1991
The Amendment Conference of the States Parties to the Treaty Banning Nuclear Weapon Tests in the Atmosphere, in Outer Space and under Water meets in New York.

10 July 1991
South Africa accedes to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear-weapon State after terminating its nuclear weapons programme.

18 July 1991
Argentina and Brazil establish the Brazilian-Argentine Agency for Accounting and Control of Nuclear Materials.

31 July 1991
The United States and the USSR sign the Treaty on the Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the START I Treaty), by which the two sides undertake to reduce their nuclear weapons from their current levels of between 10,000 and 11,000 weapons to between 8,000 and 9,000 weapons.

September�� October 1991
The United States and the USSR make unilateral announcements of further reductions and other measures for their respective nuclear arsenals.

31 January 1992
At the meeting of the Security Council held at the level of Heads of State or Government, the Council emphasizes the threat that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction constitutes to international peace and security.

9 March 1992
China accedes to the NPT.

3 April 1992
The Nuclear Suppliers Group, meeting in Warsaw, revises its "Guidelines for transfers of nuclear-related dual-use equipment, material and related technology", requiring full-scope safeguards as a condition of export.

23 May 1992
The Lisbon Protocol to the START I Treaty is signed by Belarus, Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Ukraine, as successor States of the former USSR in connection with the Treaty, and by the United States. By the Protocol, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine undertake to adhere to the NPT as non-nuclear-weapon States in the shortest possible time.

2 August 1992
France accedes to the NPT.

27 October 1992
The UN Secretary-General submits to the First Committee of the General Assembly his report entitled "New dimensions of arms regulation and disarmament in the post�� cold war era", in which he refers to the NPT as providing an indispensable framework for global non-proliferation efforts.

3 January 1993
The United States and the Russian Federation sign the Treaty on Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms (the START II Treaty), by which they undertake further significant reductions in their nuclear arsenals.

9 February 1993
Belarus accedes to the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon State.

1 April 1993
The Nuclear Suppliers Group, meeting in Lucerne, Switzerland, revises the 1977 London Guidelines for Nuclear Transfers.

10 August 1993
The Conference on Disarmament decides to give its Ad Hoc Committee on a Nuclear Test Ban a mandate to negotiate a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty. A special meeting (informal) of the Amendment Conference of the Partial Test-Ban Treaty is held in New York.

17 August 1993
The Russian Federation declares its policy regarding security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States.

16 December 1993
The General Assembly adopts without a vote a resolution (48/ 70), sponsored by 157 States, on a comprehensive test-ban treaty, welcoming the decision of 10 August by the Conference on Disarmament.

February 1994
Negotiations on a comprehensive nuclear-test-ban treaty begin in the Conference on Disarmament. Consultations begin in the Conference on Disarmament regarding a mandate to negotiate a treaty on the prohibition of the production of fissile material for weapons purposes.

14 February 1994
Kazakhstan accedes to the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon State.

20 September 1994
The International Convention on Nuclear Safety is opened for signature in Vienna (INFCIRC/ 449 and Add. 1).

5 December 1994
Ukraine accedes to the NPT as a non-nuclear-weapon State.

11 April 1995
The Security Council adopts resolution 984 (1995) on security assurances to non-nuclear-weapon States that are parties to the NPT.

17 April�� 12 May 1995
The Review and Extension Conference of the Parties to the NPT convenes. The NPT is indefinitely extended and decisions on "Strengthening the review process for the Treaty", "Principles and objectives on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament" and a "Resolution on the Middle East" are adopted without a vote.

9 December 1995
The Wassenaar Arrangement on Export Controls for Conventional Arms and Dual-Use Goods and Technologies is agreed to by 33 States.

15 December 1995
The Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (the Bangkok Treaty) is opened for signature.

26 January 1996
The US Senate ratifies START II with an overwhelming majority and without amendment.

29 January 1996
France declares a moratorium on nuclear testing.

11 April 1996
The African Nuclear-Weapon-Free-Zone Treaty (the Pelindaba Treaty) is opened for signature.

19�� 20 April 1996
The Summit on Nuclear Safety and Security is held in Moscow.

8 July 1996
The International Court of Justice issues an advisory opinion on the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons. The Court agreed unanimously that the threat or use of force by means of nuclear weapons that was contrary to article 2, paragraph 4 (refraining from the threat or use of force) of the Charter and did not meet the requirements of article 51 (inherent right of individual or collective self-defence) was unlawful, and that such threat or use of force should be compatible with international law applicable in armed conflict. It decided unanimously that "there exists an obligation to�� bring to a conclusion negotiations leading to nuclear disarmament".

29 July 1996
China declares a moratorium on nuclear testing.

14 August 1996
The Canberra Commission on the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons issues its report.

10 September 1996
The General Assembly adopts the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT) by a vote of 158 to 3, with 5 abstentions.

24 September 1996
The CTBT is opened for signature in New York. Seventy-one States, including all five nuclear-weapon States, sign the Treaty on that day.

19 November 1996
The Preparatory Commission for the CTBT Organization is established with its seat in Vienna.

7�� 18 April 1997
The first session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2000 NPT Review Conference is held in New York.

16 May 1997
The IAEA Board of Governors approves the Model Additional Protocol (INFCIRC/ 540), which is aimed at strengthening safeguards.

27 March 1997
The Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (the Bangkok Treaty) enters into force.

27 April�� 8 May 1998
The second session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2000 NPT Review Conference is held in Geneva.

6 June 1998
The Security Council, by its resolution 1172 (1998), condemns the nuclear tests conducted by India on 11 and 13 May 1998 and by Pakistan on 28 and 30 May 1998 as a threat to global nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament. The resolution urges the countries to become parties to the NPT without delay or conditions.

9 June 1998
Foreign Ministers of eight States issue a joint declaration entitled Towards a nuclear-weapon-free world: the need for a new agenda, calling upon States to commit themselves to the elimination of their nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons capability.

11 August 1998
The Conference on Disarmament establishes an ad hoc committee to commence negotiations on a ban on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear devices (CD/ 1547).

18 September 1998
Brazil accedes to the NPT, thus increasing the number of States parties to 187.

4 December 1998
The General Assembly adopts resolution A/ 53/ 584 on "Mongolia's international security and nuclear-weapon-free status" by consensus.

10�� 21 May 1999
The third session of the Preparatory Committee for the 2000 NPT Review Conference is held in New York.

June 1999
The United States and the Russian Federation agree to engage in discussions on START III negotiations.

25 July 1999
The Tokyo Forum for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament issues its report.

6�� 8 October 1999
A conference on facilitating the entry into force of the CTBT is held in Vienna and adopts a Final Declaration.

24 April�� 19 May 2000
The Review Conference of the States Parties to the NPT is scheduled to convene in New York.

Published by the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs