Disarmament

France is working towards disarmament at an international level in a constant and concrete manner. We can only continue down the path of disarmament if the will to move forward is shared by all. Transparency, trust and reciprocity are the basis for collective security and disarmament. During the French Presidency of the European Union in 2008, France took resolute action resulting in Europe’s drafting ambitious initiatives for the first time in the area.

Drawing on proposals made by President Sarkozy in Cherbourg, France, together with its European partners, put forward a disarmament action plan ahead of the 2010 NPT Review Conference. It was endorsed by the 27 EU Heads of State and Government in December 2008 :

– The universal ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and the completion of its verification regime, and the dismantling as soon as possible of all nuclear testing facilities in a manner that is transparent and open to the international community ;

– The opening without delay and without preconditions of negotiations for a treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons (Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty), the introduction of an immediate moratorium on the production of such materials and the dismantling of their production facilities ;

– The establishment of confidence-building and transparency measures by the nuclear powers ;

– The implementation of the New START Treaty signed by the United States and Russia, and an overall reduction in global stockpiles of nuclear weapons in accordance with Article VI of the NPT, in particular by the States which possess the largest arsenals ;

– The inclusion of tactical nuclear weapons, by those States which have them, in their general arms control and disarmament processes, with a view to their reduction and elimination ;

– The start of consultations on a treaty banning short- and intermediate-range ground-to-ground missiles ;

– The adherence to and implementation by all of The Hague Code of Conduct ;

– Beyond that, mobilization in all other areas of disarmament.