The NPT = Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference scheduled for August will be postponed further due to the ongoing worldwide spread of the new coronavirus, with the aim of holding it in January next year. Adjustments will be made.
The NPT recognizes five countries, including the United States and Russia, as nuclear-weapon states and imposes obligations on nuclear disarmament under the international framework for nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation that came into effect in 1970 during the Cold War.
Last year, the NPT planned to hold a five-year review meeting at the United Nations headquarters in New York, but postponed it twice due to the worldwide spread of the new coronavirus, and then from the 2nd of next month. It was decided to hold it until the 27th.
However, according to a letter sent to member states by Mr. Slavinen of Argentina, who has been appointed as the chair of the review meeting, he has agreed to postpone the review meeting further in light of the global infection situation.
The new schedule will be officially decided in October, but adjustments will be made with the aim of holding it face-to-face from January 4th to 28th next year.
This will delay the NPT Review Conference by more than a year and a half from the original schedule, and there are concerns that discussions on nuclear disarmament will stagnate as the conflict between nuclear-weapon states and non-nuclear-weapon states deepens.