A variety of treaties and agreements have been enacted to regulate the use, development and possession of various types of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Treaties may regulate weapons use under the customs of war (Hague Conventions, Geneva Protocol), ban specific types of weapons (Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological Weapons Convention), limit weapons research (Partial Test Ban Treaty, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty), limit allowable weapons stockpiles and delivery systems (START I, SORT) or regulate civilian use of weapon precursors (Chemical Weapons Convention, Biological Weapons Convention). The history of weapons control has also included treaties to limit effective defense against weapons of mass destruction in order to preserve the deterrent doctrine of mutual assured destruction (Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty) as well as treaties to limit the spread of nuclear technologies geographically (African Nuclear Weapons Free Zone Treaty, Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty).
There is a separate list of states parties to several of the major weapons of mass destruction treaties. General * Year of entry into force in parentheses Protocol I (1977) and Protocol II (1977) of the Geneva Conventions (1949) Environmental Modification Convention (1978) (list of states parties)
Delivery systems International Code of Conduct against Ballistic Missile Proliferation (2002, not a treaty)
Biological weapons
AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceNumber of states partiesObjectiveGeneva Protocol17 June 19258 February 1928146Ban the use of chemical and biological weaponsBiological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC)10 April 197226 March 1975187 (list)Comprehensively ban biological weaponsUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1540NA28 April 2004NAPrevent WMD proliferation, especially to non-state actors
Chemical weapons
AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceStates partiesObjectiveStrasbourg Agreement27 August 1675France and the Holy Roman EmpireBan the use of poison bulletsTreaty of Versailles10 January 1920Germany and the Allied Powers of WWIBan Germany from manufacturing or stockpiling chemical weapons (among many things)Geneva Protocol17 June 19258 February 1928146Ban the use of chemical and biological weapons against enemy nationals in international armed conflictChemical Weapons Convention (CWC)3 September 199229 April 1997193 (list)Comprehensively ban chemical weapons
Nuclear weapons Disarmament and non-proliferation AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceNumber of states partiesObjectiveStatute of the International Atomic Energy Agency29 July 1957178 (list)Outer Space Treaty27 January 196710 October 1967115 (list)Ban stationing of WMD in spaceNuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)1 July 19685 March 1970191 (list)1. prevent nuclear proliferation; 2. promote nuclear disarmament; 3. promote peaceful uses of nuclear energySeabed Arms Control Treaty11 February 197118 May 197294Ban stationing of WMD on the ocean floorConvention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material3 March 19808 February 1987164Ensure the physical protection of nuclear material and nuclear facilitiesTreaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) (2021)20 September 201722 January 202170 (list)Comprehensively ban nuclear weapons
Regional restrictions
AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceNumber of states partiesAntarctic TreatyDecember 1, 1959June 23, 196155Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean 14 February 196722 April 196833South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation ZoneNA27 October 198624South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty6 August 198511 December 198613Treaty on the Final Settlement with Respect to Germany12 September 199015 March 19916Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty15 December 199528 March 199710India–United States Civil Nuclear AgreementUS and IndiaAfrican Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty199615 July 200943Central Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone8 September 200621 March 20095 Weapons limitation AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceNumber of states partiesObjectiveMcCloy–Zorin Accords20 December 1961Establish a foundation for all future international (nuclear) disarmament negotiationsPartial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty5 August 196310 October 1963126 (list)Ban all nuclear weapons tests except for those conducted undergroundAnti-Ballistic Missile Treaty26 May 19721972 (US withdrawal: 2002)US and USSRLimit anti-ballistic missile (ABM) systems used in defending areas against ballistic missile-delivered nuclear weaponsThreshold Test Ban Treaty3 July 197411 December 1990US and USSRBan nuclear tests of devices having a yield exceeding 150 kilotonsComprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)10 September 1996Not in force176 (list)Ban all nuclear weapons testsFissile Material Cut-off Treaty NANANAProhibit the further production of fissile materialIntermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty8 December 19871 June 1988 (expiration: 2 August 2019)US and USSRBan land-based ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and missile launchers with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kmSALT I (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks)26 May 1972US and USSRLimit the number of strategic ballistic missile launchersSALT IIJune 18 1979Never entered into forceUS and USSRLimit the number of strategic ballistic missile launchersSTART I (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty)31 July 19915 December 1994US and USSRLimit the number of deployed nuclear warheads to 6,000 and of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to 1,600START II3 January 199314 April 2000
(USSR withdrawal: 14 June 2002)US and RussiaBan the use of multiple independently targetable re-entry vehicles (MIRVs) on ICBMsSTART IIInot completedNAUS and RussiaLimit the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheadsStrategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT)24 May 20021 June 2003 (expiration: 5 February 2011)US and RussiaLimit the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to between 1,700 and 2,200New START8 April 20105 February 2011US and RussiaLimit the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads to 1,550, deployed missiles and bombers to 700, and deployed and non-deployed launchers (missile tubes and bombers) to 800
Cooperation AgreementDate signedDate of entry into forceStates partiesObjectiveQuebec Agreement19 August 194319 August 1943 (expiration: 7 January 1948) UK and USCooperation on nuclear energy and nuclear weapons1958 US–UK Mutual Defence Agreement3 July 19584 August 1958UK and USExchange of nuclear materials, technology and informationNassau Agreement1962UK and USSupply of UK with Polaris missiles, launch tubes, and the fire control system (see UK Polaris programme)Polaris Sales Agreement6 April 1963UK and USImplementation of the Nassau AgreementNuclear Terrorism Convention14 September 20057 July 2007120Criminalize acts of nuclear terrorism and promote police and judicial cooperation
See also Arms control List of parties to weapons of mass destruction treaties Nuclear arms race Nuclear-free zone Nuclear proliferation Nuclear weapon Nuclear warfare Nuclear-weapon-free zone International Atomic Energy Agency Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons General Purpose Criterion
References