ABSTRACT
The problems associated with breaches of obligation have been an important issue in all arms control negotiations because states are generally reluctant to depend solely on good faith when such vital matters as national security are involved. The best developed system for the acquisition of information for verification purposes is found in the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which declared that Antarctica shall be used exclusively for peaceful purposes. The verification principles embodied in the Antarctic Treaty have been applied to a certain extent in the 1967 Outer Space Treaty, which prohibits the stationing in outer space of weapons of mass destruction. Under the terms of the 1968 Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), non-nuclear weapon parties must accept International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards for the purpose of verification of the fulfilment of their obligation not to acquire nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. NPT safeguards consist of three main elements: material accountancy, containment and surveillance.
