Banning Fissile Material Production for Nuclear Weapons: Prospects for a Treaty (FMCT)

RS22474 -- Banning Fissile Material Production for Nuclear Weapons: Prospects for a Treaty (FMCT)

July 14, 2006

Summary

On May 18, 2006, the United States proposed a draft Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty (FMCT) at the Conference on Disarmament (CD) in Geneva. The U.S. draft treaty, would enter into force with only the five established nuclear weapon states. It would ban new production of plutonium and highly enriched uranium for use in nuclear weapons for 15 years; could be extended only by consensus of the parties; would allow high-enriched uranium production for naval fuel; and contains no provisions for verification other than national technical means. The next step is for the CD to adopt a negotiating mandate, the prospects for which appear uncertain, given continued linkage by some states of FMCT negotiations with other disarmament talks. The CD meets again from July 31 to September 15. This report will be updated as necessary.