Can the EURATOM Treaty Inspire the Middle East?

Gregoire Mallard (Richard Tomlinson Postdoctoral Fellow at McGill University) is one of two winners of the 2008 Doreen and Jim McElvany Nonproliferation Challenge Essay Contest student prize for an article examining how the European Community of Atomic Energy (EURATOM) Treaty could be used as a model for enhancing nuclear safeguards and confidence-building measures in the Middle East. Mallard argues that some of the technical provisions of the treaty -- particularly in the area of safeguards, confidence-building measures, and fuel supply assurances -- could be applicable to the Middle East. However, he also notes that there are a number of factors in the Middle East today that make achieving such a supranational agreement problematic. Nevertheless, if such an agreement could be implemented, it could reduce regional tensions over nuclear proliferation and pave the way for a Middle East Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone. As Mallard notes, Such a proposal is ambitious, as it assumes a will to cooperate that may not exist among these countries. But it is also realistic, since it does not seek to hide the risks that such a regional authority might not function properly.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• MIIS
• CNS
• Mallard
• McElvany
• nonproliferation
• EURATOM
• middle east
• nuclear weapon free zone

[sheeeereeeen]

the coughing is really annoying.