- The Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) is a proposed international treaty to prohibit the further production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other explosive devices.
- The treaty has not been negotiated and its terms remain to be defined.
- According to a proposal by the United States, fissile material includes high-enriched uranium and plutonium (except plutonium that is over 80% Pu-238).
- According to a proposal by Russia, fissile material would be limited to weapons-grade uranium (with more than 90% U-235) and plutonium (with more than 90% Pu-239). Neither proposal would prohibit the production of fissile material for non-weapons purposes, including use in civil or naval nuclear reactors
PRESENT STATUS:
- Pakistan has repeatedly blocked the Geneva based Conference on Disarmament (CD) from implementing its agreed program of work, despite severe pressure from the major nuclear powers to end its defiance of 64 other countries in blocking international ban on the production of new nuclear bomb-making material, as well as discussions on full nuclear disarmament, the arms race in outer space, and security assurances for non-nuclear states.
PAKISTAN ARGUMENT:
- Any deal must also require India to reduce its existing stockpile
INDIA’S STAND:
- India, has taken the stand that if the existing stockpiles were to be made part of the negotiations at Geneva, the proposed deal would no longer remain the FMCT but become the nuclear weapons convention.
Geneva disarmament
conference can only move forward by consensus. Until Pakistan is on board, the
negotiations can't be concluded.
This treaty is designed to primarily aim at Iran who is using the veil of producing atomic energy at nuclear reactors to enrich weapon grade plutonium.
ReplyDeleteSince Russia & China would effectively Veto any motion in UN Security council for armed action at Iran, this treaty if enforced would help US and EU countries to further tighten the sanctions.