Nuclear Development and International Safeguards; Where Do We Stand and Where Are We Going?

Together with the political commitments reflected in the Nonproliferation Treaty, international safeguards represent a cornerstone of an effective international nuclear regime. As important as they are, safeguards cannot fully achieve the goal of maintaining access to peaceful nuclear energy without significantly increasing proliferation risks. In order to mitigate those risks, extrinsic protective measures are necessary, including the establishment of rules, norms and institutional arrangements relating to the timing, conditions, and scope of introduction of sensitive nuclear fuels and fuel cycle facilities. Both these extrinsic measures and intrinsic measures designed to enhance the reliability and credibility of safeguards are discussed.