Interpreting the withdrawal clause of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT): options within the 2010 NPT review cycle

Abstract

The actions of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in 2003, resulting in the first case of a state party exercising its sovereign right to withdraw from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) and its subsequent test of an explosive nuclear device in October 2006, have prioritised the need for a consolidated clarification of the duties, responsibilities, procedures and consequences associated with implementing Article X.1 of the NPT. Given the existing broad support for such a clarified interpretation amongst NPT state parties, the 2010 NPT review cycle presents an opportune juncture to provide such a consolidation of the Treaty's withdrawal provision.