Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was adopted on 26 October 1979 in Vienna, Austria. The initial signing ceremony took place in Vienna and at New York on 3 March 1980, and the convention entered into force on 8 February 1987. The convention is deposited with the International Atomic Energy Agency. In July 2005 a diplomatic conference was convened to amend the convention and strengthen its provisions,[1] as a result of which it was renamed the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities.

As of October 2018, there are 157 state parties to the convention plus the European Atomic Energy Community.

Upon accession, 38 countries declared themself as not bound by the provisions of Article 17 paragraph 2 and did not accept the competence of the International Court of Justice in settlement of the disputes. Five countries withdrew these objections thereafter.[2]

List of countries that upon ratification declared that they do not consider themselves bound by dispute settlement procedures provided for in Article 17 paragraph 2
Country name Accession date Withdrawal date
Algeria 30 April 2003 -
Argentina 6 April 1989 -
Azerbaijan 19 January 2004 -
Bahamas 21 May 2008 -
Bahrain 10 May 2010 -
Belarus 9 September 1993 -
Bulgaria 10 April 1984 11 May 1994
China 10 January 1989 -
Cuba 26 September 1997 -
Cyprus 23 July 1998 -
El Salvador 15 December 2006 -
France 6 September 1991 -
Guatemala 23 April 1985 -
Hungary 4 May 1984 30 November 1989
India 12 March 2002 -
Indonesia 5 November 1986 -
Israel 22 January 2002 -
Jordan 7 September 2009 -
Korea 7 April 1982 -
Kuwait 23 April 2004 -
Lao 29 September 2010 -
Mongolia 28 May 1986 18 June 1990
Mozambique 3 March 2003 -
Myanmar 6 December 2016 -
Oman 11 June 2003 -
Pakistan 12 September 2000 -
Peru 11 January 1995 -
Poland 5 October 1983 18 June 1997
Qatar 9 March 2004 -
Romania 23 November 1993 -
Russia 25 May 1983 22 July 2007
Saint Lucia 14 September 2012 -
Saudi Arabia 7 January 2009 -
Singapore 22 September 2014 -
South Africa 17 September 2007 -
Spain 6 September 1991 -
Turkey 27 February 1985 -
Viet Nam 4 October 2012

The United States Department of State says that:

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material provides for certain levels of physical protection during international transport of nuclear material. It also establishes a general framework for cooperation among states in the protection, recovery, and return of stolen nuclear material. Further, the Convention lists certain serious offenses involving nuclear material which state parties are to make punishable and for which offenders shall be subject to a system of extradition or submission for prosecution.[3]

References

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  1. ^ "Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material". International Atomic Energy Agency. 17 October 2014. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  2. ^ "Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. Declarations/reservations and objections thereto" (PDF). International Atomic Energy Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2022. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material". Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation. United States Department of State. 3 March 1980.
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