ABSTRACT
South Africa, as the first state to roll back its nuclear weapons programme, has been especially active in working to achieve nuclear disarmament. South African diplomats continue to emphasize the 'three pillars' of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) – the right of all states to nuclear energy, non-proliferation, and the agreement of the nuclear weapons states to roll back their programmes. South Africa's position towards nuclear weapons is informed by the apartheid regime's development of nuclear weapons in the 1970s and 1980s and rollback from 1989 to 1993, as well as the opposition of the African National Congress to the regime and its nuclear weapons. South Africa places special emphasis on Article VI of the NPT and presses the nuclear weapons states finally to follow through on their commitment to disarm. South African diplomats stressed that the review and extension process should be strengthened, which would reinforce the non-proliferation regime.
