Nations spar over erosion of nuclear treaty

摘要

The world's largest treaty to stop the spread of nuclear weapons is broken, but nobody can agree on how to fix it. Representatives from more than 180 nations are meeting in New York over 2-27 May to discuss the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But as Nature went to press in the meeting's second week, the atmosphere was bad tempered and participants had yet to agree an agenda. The treaty requires nations with nuclear weapons to work towards disarmament, and those without to remain free of nuclear weapons in return for access to nuclear-power technology. Member states hold a meeting to review it once every five years.