What was the main purpose of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968? |
To abolish all nuclear weapons To prevent new countries from acquiring nuclear weapons To allow all countries to develop nuclear weapons To increase the number of nuclear-armed countries |
To prevent new countries from acquiring nuclear weapons |
The correct answer is Option 2- To prevent new countries from acquiring nuclear weapons The US and Soviet Union signed a number of other arms control treaties including the Strategic Arms Limitations Treaty II or SALT II and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START). The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968 was an arms control treaty in the sense that it regulated the acquisition of nuclear weapons: those countries that had tested and manufactured nuclear weapons before 1967 were allowed to keep their weapons; and those that had not done so were to give up the right to acquire them. The NPT did not abolish nuclear weapons; rather, it limited the number of countries that could have them. |