International Treaties and Agreements

International Treaties and Agreements The Simla Agreement

Signed by the P.M. of India and the President of Pakistan in 1971, the Agreement had following provisions : to normalise relationship between the two countries, to withdraw from the territories seized by them, communications would be resumed. Antarctic Treaty : It is an agreement signed on December 1, 1959 between 12 nations with an interest in Antarctic. These countries are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the erstwhile USSR (CIS), the U.K. and the US. In all, 39 countries became party to it by 1990 when Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Italy, South Korea, North Korea, the Netherlands, Papua New. Guinea, Peru, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Uruguay also acceded to the treaty. The treaty reserves the Antarctic area south of 60' south latitude for peaceful purposes, provides for international cooperation in scientific investigation and research, and preserves. Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Signed in 1968, NPT came into force in 1970. Its main points are as follows : nuclear powers will not transfer nuclear weapons or control over them to any recipient. non-nuclear countries agree neither to receive the weapons nor to manufacture them. nuclear know-how will be made available to the non-nuclear states for peaceful purposes. Originally, for a period of 25 years, NPI was extended indefinitely in 1995. India, Israel and Pakistan have not signed the NPI citing various reasons. Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) This treaty was approved by US General Assembly in 1996. India, Iran and Libya voted against it. India is under constant pressure to sign it.   Indo-Russian Friendship Treaty This treaty was signed by the then P.M. of India and the then President of Russia in 1993. Its main provisions are as follows : to develop cooperation in political, trade, economic, scientific, technical, cultural and other fields. to promote relations in defence, commerce, science and technology and culture. to work together for achievement of a world without armaments. to support territorial intensity of each other. Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START-II) Signed by the then Russian and American Presidents in 1993, its main provisions are : to reduce nuclear warheads. to eliminate all Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles. to reduce nuclear warheads at submarine-based ballistic missiles. to limit nuclear warheads with which heavy bombers can be equipped. Chemical Weapons Convention The Chemical Weapons Convention came into force on April 29, 1997. The signatory states have undertaken to destroy existing stock of chemical weapons by 2007. 164 countries have signed the convention which was first opened to signature in Paris on January 13, 1993. About 75 countries have ratified it.   Human Cloning Agreement On January, 12, 1998, Nineteen European nations signed an agreement banning human cloning. On January 17, 186 member states of UNESCO adopted a declaration denouncing human cloning.

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