What are the international norms on nuclear non-proliferation?

International nuclear non-proliferation is an essential component of international law in South Carolina and around the world. Non-proliferation is a collective effort to prevent nuclear weapons from being created or acquired by states who do not already possess them, and to prevent them from being transferred to individuals or organizations outside of those states. The international norms on non-proliferation are largely guided by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), ratified by 191 states in 1969. The NPT is the core of international nuclear non-proliferation and divides states into two groups: Nuclear Weapons States (NWS) and Non-Nuclear Weapons States (NNWS). NWS are those states that have developed and possessed nuclear weapons prior to 1967 and include the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China. NNWS are the states that have not developed or acquired nuclear weapons and are obligated to not do so. For NNWS, the NPT provides a legal basis for prohibiting the acquisition and transfer of nuclear weapons and for them to seek assistance in using nuclear technology for peaceful purposes. The NPT also seeks to promote disarmament by the NWS in order to further the worldwide efforts toward nuclear non-proliferation. This includes a commitment from the NWS to pursue negotiations in good faith for the complete elimination of their nuclear arsenals. In furtherance of this goal, all countries have the right to develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

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