Contributions of an International Nuclear Court to the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament system

Abstract

The need for a new international organisation dealing with nonproliferation and disarmament issues has been demonstrated in different international events. In the later Nuclear Security Summit of April 2010, a proposal to establish a nuclear court or tribunal was revealed as one of the concrete steps that may enhance nuclear security and counter nuclear terrorism. Most recently, the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament called for the establishment of a new international organisation to evaluate nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament efforts by countries. The International Nuclear Law architecture still contains some gaps; it lacks the presence of a comprehensive nuclear security convention, a convention on nuclear crime and criminals and the legal bases for countering illicit nuclear trafficking and deals. The establishment of an International Nuclear Court might be considered as a step for a comprehensive nuclear non-proliferation system, and surely it will contribute in filling the security-related gaps in International Nuclear Law.