List of parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Participation in the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

The list of parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty encompasses the states who have signed and ratified or acceded to the international agreement limiting the spread of nuclear weapons.

On 1 July 1968, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) was opened for signature. Russia (a successor to the Soviet Union), the United Kingdom, and the United States are the three depositary states; states wishing to become parties to the NPT must deposit their instruments of ratification or accession with one of these three states. The treaty came into force and closed for signature on 5 March 1970 with the deposit of ratification of the three depositary states and 40 others. Since then, states that did not sign the treaty can now only accede to it. The instrument of ratification, accession, or succession is deposited at the respective capitals of the depositary states: Moscow, London, and Washington, D.C.

As of July 2008, 189 recognized states are party to the treaty. Montenegro is the most recent state to have joined, submitting its instrument of accession on 3 June 2006. In addition, Taiwan is not recognized as a sovereign state, but has accepted comprehensive IAEA safeguards and the measures of the Additional Protocol to verify that its nuclear program is entirely peaceful. North Korea was formally a party to the treaty but announced its withdrawal on 10 January 2003; its withdrawal became effective ninety days later. Three states have never signed on to the treaty: India, Israel, and Pakistan. The NPT remains the most widely subscribed to arms control treaty in history. [cite web|url=http://cns.miis.edu/pubs/week/030409.htm |title=North Korea's Withdrawal From the NPT: A Reality Check |author=Jean du Preez and William Potter |work=James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies (CNS) Information & Analysis |accessdate=2008-07-26]

Ratified or acceded states

Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, varied by location. Where known, that location is noted by: (L) for London, (M) for Moscow, and (W) for Washington D.C.

Non-signatory states

References

*