Statement on Nuclear Free Zones in Asia and Africa

• Message on African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (pdf) (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2011african_msg_rel.pdf)
• Message on South Pacific Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (pdf) (www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/2011sptreaty_msg_rel.pdf)

 Today the President submitted the Protocols to the African Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty and the South Pacific Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty to the U.S. Senate for its advice and consent to ratification.  This step advances the President’s commitment to nuclear non-proliferation and to the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons.
 
Regional nuclear weapon free zone agreements reinforce both the commitment of nations not to pursue nuclear weapons and the nearly 65-year record of their non-use.  The protocols to the treaties, once ratified, will extend the policy of the United States not to use or threaten use of nuclear weapons against regional zone parties that are members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and in good standing with their non-proliferation obligations.
 
As a next step, the United States will engage parties to the two other regional agreements in force, in Southeast Asia and Central Asia, so that we can sign the protocols to those treaties as soon as possible.