Publication

The proliferation of nuclear weapons is a great challenge facing international relations. Having established a norm for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons that has been accepted by almost every country, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, which went into effect in 1970, has played a key role in keeping the world from being engulfed by nuclear weapons. In addition to non-proliferation, the NPT is based on the pledge by the five nuclear powers to disarm and an agreement to cooperate internationally in the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Nevertheless there existed a considerable degree of tension between the treaty's three pillars which has intensified markedly in recent years.