NEW DIMENSIONS IN NON-PROLIFERATION - AN IAEA VIEW

Four years ago, Saddam Husein invaded Kuwait with the intention of annexing it as Iraq's 19th state. The disclosure of the Iraqi nuclear weapons programme in the aftermath of the Gulf War - through the IAEA inspections - signalled the end of one proliferation era and the start of the next. In my remarks today, I have found it useful to identify four distinct proliferation eras, each with different features, each calling for different emphasis in international non-proliferation efforts. They provide a convenient way to look at the history of non-proliferation, to look into the future and to the new dimensions in non-proliferation that are slowly emerging.