Publication

This article will look at why this language qualifying the “right to withdraw” from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was included in the treaty, and, how it was intended to limit or condition that right. Does the history of the withdrawal clause negotiations suggest that the parties wanted to inhibit withdrawals by requiring that a statement of reasons for withdrawal by the withdrawing party be sent to the Security Council as well as to the other NPT parties? What powers does the withdrawal clause give to the NPT parties and the Security Council to deal with the withdrawal of North Korea, and perhaps, one day, Iran or some other party?