Chapter Seventeen Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones and Maritime Transit of Nuclear Weapons

Abstract

This Chapter addresses efforts by the states that have formed nuclearweapon-free zones (NWFZ) to exclude nuclear weapons and nuclear powered ships from their territorial and adjacent waters. It outlines the provisions of the existing NWFZs that could impact the deployment of sea-based nuclear weapons or nuclear powered ships. The chapter provides background on the nonproliferation and disarmament goals of the NWFZs. It addresses the relevant provisions of the existing NWFZs which cover Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia and Africa. The analyzes ways in which the NWFZs member states might in the future seek to increase their impact on sea-based nuclear weapons. NWFZs were first conceptualized in the 1950s as a regional approach to nonproliferation, fencing off regions of the world from nuclear weapons. NWFZs have traditionally been regarded as an effective nonproliferation tool because they cordon off entire regions of the world from nuclear weapons. Keywords: disarmament goals; nonproliferation; nuclearweapon-free zones (NWFZ); sea-based nuclear weapons