Legal Framework For Strengthening Nuclear Security And Combating Nuclear Terrorism

New international approaches to strengthening nuclear security and combating the threat of nuclear terrorism have been introduced throughout the first decade of the 21st century. The adoption of new and revised mandatory international legal instruments, as well as other non-binding initiatives and voluntary mechanisms, have led to improved security measures in this critical area, but there is still a need for substantive and procedural arrangements to be significantly strengthened.This book is a collection of the presentations and deliberations of participants at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop held in Vienna, Austria in January 2010. The workshop was attended by over 100 international experts from more than 20 countries, and the papers presented here summarize current understanding of, and approaches to, the legal framework for nuclear security and counterterrorism. The book will be of interest to all governments, international organizations, researchers and practitioners worldwide who are involved in securing nuclear materials and preventing nuclear terrorism

Making a timely contribution to the legal literature, this important book discusses an under-analysed issue of great importance to international peace and security. It provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of the prevention of nuclear terrorism specifically through an international (arms control) law lens.

Making a timely contribution to the legal literature, this important book discusses an under-analysed issue of great importance to international peace and security. It provides a comprehensive overview and analysis of the prevention of nuclear terrorism specifically through an international (arms control) law lens. Jonathan Herbach sets out a basis for better understanding how the international legal framework for nuclear security is structured and why it is structured that way, and offers a critical analysis of the component instruments that make up the framework. He highlights the strengths and analyzes possible gaps and weaknesses of these instruments and the legal framework as a whole, as well as explaining the framework's key characteristics, approaches and rationale. As nuclear security is by no means a static topic, with changing circumstances a defining feature of the area, the book also offers ideas for the path forward and conceptualizes ways to further strengthen the nuclear security legal framework. Offering a fresh perspective on the prevention of nuclear terrorism, this book will benefit academics and students of public international law, counter-terrorism and conflict and security law. It will also be a useful resource for governmental legal advisors, think-tanks and diplomats to inform their work on means and mechanisms to help strengthen the global nuclear security regime and to provide guidance for decision-making.

This publication brings together the primary legally binding international instruments and the internationally accepted non-binding instruments that constitute the international legal framework for nuclear security. It sets out the legislative bases for the mandate of the International Atomic Energy Agency in the area of nuclear security, in order to increase awareness of the Agency's role in facilitating national, regional and international efforts to enhance nuclear security, including measures to protect against nuclear terrorism. It is intended that the overview of the salient provisions of the relevant binding and non-binding instruments will increase understanding of the existing legal framework governing nuclear security and counter-terrorism and thereby assist States, intergovernmental organizations and other stakeholders in the implementation of those provisions at the national, regional and international level.

This volume aims to improve understanding of nuclear security and the prevention of nuclear terrorism. Nuclear terrorism is perceived as one of the most immediate and extreme threats to global security today. While the international community has made important progress in securing fissile material, there are still important steps to be made with nearly 2,000 metric tons of weapons-usable nuclear material spread around the globe. The volume addresses this complex phenomenon through an interdisciplinary approach: legal, criminal, technical, diplomatic, cultural, economic, and political. Despite this cross-disciplinary approach, however, the chapters are all linked by the overarching aim of enhancing knowledge of nuclear security and the prevention of nuclear terrorism. The volume aims to do this by investigating the different types of nuclear terrorism, and subsequently discussing the potential means to prevent these malicious acts. In addition, there is a discussion of the nuclear security regime, in general, and an important examination of both its strengths and weaknesses. In summary, the book aims to extend the societal and political debate about the threat of nuclear terrorism. This book will be of much interest to students of nuclear proliferation, nuclear governance, terrorism studies, international organizations, and security studies in general.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) safeguards system has been a cornerstone of U.S. efforts to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation since the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) was adopted in 1970. IAEA has strengthened its safeguards system & increased efforts to combat nuclear terrorism by helping countries secure nuclear & radioactive material & facilities. This report: (1) identifies the steps IAEA has taken to strengthen safeguards; (2) assesses the challenges in implementing strengthened safeguards; (3) identifies U.S. financial support for safeguards; & (4) describes IAEA's efforts to help secure nuclear material & facilities. Includes recommendations. Illustrations.

"The protection of nuclear material and facilities involves a broad range of activities at the international level as well as in individual countries. International law recognizes that each state has responsibility for implementing these measures and for providing adequate protection for the material in its possession. At the same time, the international community has established a set of arrangements that help to create and maintain the nuclear security regime. This study presents an overview of the elements of the international nuclear security regime and discusses proposals to strengthen its accountability arrangements, as well as the challenges of expanding the scope of the regime and creating a framework for global nuclear security efforts."--P. [4] of cover.

The Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material was signed at Vienna and at New York on 3 March 1980. The Convention is the only international legally binding undertaking in the area of physical protection of nuclear material. It establishes measures related to the prevention, detection and punishment of offenses relating to nuclear material. A Diplomatic Conference in July 2005 was convened to amend the Convention and strengthen its provisions. The amended Convention makes it legally binding for States Parties to protect nuclear facilities and material in peaceful domestic use, storage as well as transport. It also provides for expanded cooperation between and among States regarding rapid measures to locate and recover stolen or smuggled nuclear material, mitigate any radiological consequences of sabotage, and prevent and combat related offences. The amendments will take effect once they have been ratified by two-thirds of the States Parties of the Convention.