Nuclear Nonproliferation Regime: Are New Institutions Needed?

Abstract

The existence of nuclear weapons, including the increasing of tactical nuclear weapons, is the major causeof a current nuclear threat at both the international and regional levels. In addition to the continuationof political and military motivations of states to acquire nuclear weapons, the institutional challengesof nuclear nonproliferation do also complicate this current problem. Even though the political andmilitary motivations of states to acquire nuclear weapons are examined by the vast amount of studies,the effectiveness of international nuclear regime is rarely analyzed. Regarding the continuation ofnuclear energy importance and the dual nature of nuclear technology, the necessity for reliable andeffective institutions to prevent proliferation of nuclear weapons became more apparent. Therefore, thisarticle aims to shed light on the ineffectiveness of the current international nuclear regime and the needfor new institutional mechanism. This article analyzed the effectiveness of international nuclear regimemeasuring its capability of problem-solving, reducing nuclear motivations of states, providing legalframework and verification process, and creating and consolidating normative principles. While thenuclear regime could partly be seen as effective regarding the low number of current nuclear weaponstates than the expected numbers in 1960s, it faces with serious challenges in solving the nuclearproblem. One of the challenges emerges because of the lack of universal acceptance of the internationaltreaties and organizations. The regime has also not effectively addressed to reduce the nuclearmotivations of states. Even though it has provided legal framework and verifying process, there are stilldifficulties to detect nuclear activities for military purposes. Lastly, the regime has effectively createdthe non-use and deterrence norms, while failed to create and consolidate the nonproliferation norm,based on total elimination of nuclear weapons. In fact, this article argues that the current institutional mechanism should be revised considering the causes of threats; furthermore, new mechanisms shouldbe established in order to meet the newly emerged challenges in the post-Cold War era. In that respect,this article firstly analyzes the ineffectiveness of current international nuclear regime in order todemonstrate the urgent need for a paradigm shift. Then, it suggests a new multilateral mechanism, asan attempt to contribute to create a discussion platform for alternative institutional mechanisms.