How Viable are Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zones?

BUIS, EMILIANO JERÓNIMO

Seúl

Simposio; Asan Nuclear Forum; 2013

Asan Institute for Policy Studies

The purpose of my talk is: 1) to acknowledge the importance of NWFZ as an efficient disarmament mechanism, based on reciprocity and regional close-up approach. 2) to remind that NWFZs are created by means of treaties, so they are limited by the will of States and to understand that the usefulness and possibilities depend on whether States agree or not in their scope and meaning. 3) to suggest a new realistic approach, based on a step-by-step, multidisciplinary and global dialogue, in order to create awareness about the need to persuade all relevant actors (with no legal distinctions) of the importance of respecting and promoting the different NWFZs and of creating grounds for a progressive disarmament. In order to deal with these aspects, I intend to describe the advantages and shortcomings on the current NWFZs regimes. In order to overcome the problems concerning their scope of applicability and enforcement mechanisms and to reduce the possibilities of circumventing the existing obligations, I will suggest that a new approach might foster a common basis for interaction between states without repeating traditional structures that have been an obstacle to successful negotiations.