PROLIFERATION RESISTANCE: AN ANALYTICAL APPROACH

The peaceful use of nuclear energy, being a stable, economically competitive source of energy, is growing. States which already have nuclear power reactors plan to extend their life-times and/or build new ones. States which did not have nuclear power in the past now plan to acquire it. At the same time, the situation with growing number of States which are going to use nuclear energy may be considered as a challenge to the non-proliferation regime. The Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a cornerstone of the non-proliferation regime. The strength of the regime depends on such factors as adherence of States to their obligations under the NPT, the effectiveness of the IAEA verification system, the nuclear export control, and the UNSC sanctions in case of non-compliance. The experience acquired during the NPT implementation, the growing interest in the world for utilization of nuclear energy, and international concern for proliferation of sensitive nuclear materials and technologies which can be used for non-peaceful purposes call for a new agenda with regard to planning of nuclear energy future.