    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book I)]
    [March 7, 2005]
    [Page 379]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Statement on the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
    March 7, 2005

        Thirty-five years ago, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
    Nuclear Weapons entered into force. Today, almost all nations are party
    to the treaty. The NPT represents a key legal barrier to nuclear weapons
    proliferation and makes a critical contribution to international
    security.
        In May, the parties to the NPT will convene the Seventh Review
    Conference of the Treaty. In the context of this review, I reaffirm the
    determination of the United States to carry out its treaty commitments
    and to work to ensure its continuance in the interest of world peace and
    security.
        NPT parties must take strong action to confront the threat of
    noncompliance with the NPT in order to preserve and strengthen the
    treaty's nonproliferation undertakings. We cannot allow rogue states
    that violate their commitments and defy the international community to
    undermine the NPT's fundamental role in strengthening international
    security. We must therefore close the loopholes that allow states to
    produce nuclear materials that can be used to build bombs under the
    cover of civilian nuclear programs.
        For international norms to be effective, they must be enforced. It
    is the charge of the International Atomic Energy Agency to uncover
    banned nuclear activity and to report these violations. The IAEA
    safeguards system is therefore an important means of detecting and
    preventing NPT violations. The IAEA must have the tools it needs to do
    its work, especially universal adherence to the Additional Protocol.
        The United States remains firmly committed to its obligations under
    the NPT. Our record demonstrates this commitment, including the Moscow
    Treaty concluded in 2002. The United States will continue to play a
    leading role in strengthening the nonproliferation regime. We have
    undertaken concrete actions and made several proposals to strengthen the
    NPT, the IAEA, and the broader nonproliferation regime, including
    launching the Proliferation Security Initiative.
        It is essential in these times of great challenge to international
    security, particularly when rogue states and terrorists seek to acquire
    weapons of mass destruction, that the international community work
    together to confront the dangers of nuclear proliferation. I call upon
    all states that are party to the treaty to act promptly and effectively
    to meet the challenges to the NPT and our common security. By doing so,
    we can ensure that it remains an effective instrument of global
    security.