First Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference: irreversibility statement
Norway, on behalf of Austria, the UK, Norway and Mexico gave a statement at the First Preparatory Committee for the 2026 NPT Review Conference.
I am delivering this statement on behalf of Austria, Mexico, the United Kingdom and my own country, Norway.
The NPT is the corner stone of the global disarmament and non-proliferation regime. We underline our unwavering commitment to the Treaty and its full implementation. We reaffirm the continued validity of past agreements and obligations, and that they continue to guide current and future work on NPT implementation.
States Parties to the NPT have agreed on 3 principles which underpin the disarmament process: transparency, verifiability, and irreversibility. These 3 principles are concurrent, complementary, mutually reinforced and strongly interrelated; they represent a path for how to effectively attain and maintain a world without nuclear weapons.
The principle of irreversibility could be further explored. This was acknowledged during discussions at the 10th Review Conference of the NPT. States Parties voiced interest in and support to building a common understanding of the application of irreversibility measures in attaining and maintaining a world free of nuclear weapons, and to exchanging information on the application of the principle of irreversibility in relation to the implementation of their Treaty obligations – including both past and intended future actions.
Efforts to understand irreversibility, like transparency and verification, are not an end in themselves. They are not a pre-requisite to commence nuclear disarmament, in compliance with the spirit and letter of article 6 of the NPT. Nor are they a pre-requisite to implement the obligations and commitments agreed within the framework of the treaty. We are convinced that the implementation of these obligations and commitments will benefit from work already having been done on these 3 principles, and ensuring the implementation to be more effective and sustainable.
We reiterate the central importance of applying the agreed principles of transparency, verifiability, and irreversibility to any nuclear disarmament efforts, and towards the sustainability of all pillars of the NPT.
We are, therefore, supportive of enhanced dialogue among States Parties to build a common understanding of the application of irreversibility, in its technical, legal, normative and political dimensions.
We also highlight that while all states have an interest in attaining and maintaining a world without nuclear weapons, the main focus of such a dialogue would be on irreversibility in the actions and activities of Nuclear Weapon States to implement their agreed obligations and commitments on nuclear disarmament. This actions and activities will benefit from work already having been done on the 3 principles.
Moreover, we also acknowledge that nuclear disarmament efforts become significantly more irreversible when they are underpinned by a legally-binding obligation on the total elimination of nuclear weapons. Nuclear disarmament should be irreversible as all States Parties of the NPT are concerned about the catastrophic consequences that would arise from the use of such weapons.
We undertake to work towards the 11th NPT Review Conference with a view to further enhance our understanding of the substance and application of the principle of irreversibility. This is crucial to continuing taking forward the obligations and commitments agreed on the total elimination of nuclear weapons, so that when nuclear disarmament is a reality, we have all the necessary tools to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability.