On July 1, 1968, the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons was opened for signature in three Depository state capitals: Washington, London, and Moscow. This year we mark the 50th anniversary of the NPT’s entry into force. The United States celebrates this important milestone and applauds the immeasurable contribution this landmark treaty has made to international security. The NPT has provided the essential foundation for international efforts to stem the looming threat – then and now – that nuclear weapons would spread across the planet.
- Statement by President Trump in Support of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on the Occasion of its 50th Anniversary
- A/S Christopher Ford Addresses “Challenges of Policymaking in Responsible Nuclear Weapons Stewardship”
- A/S Christopher Ford Addresses Attendees to the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the NPT
- Agenda: NPT Depositary Conference on the 50th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the NPT Treaty
- Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of the Depositary Governments
- Summary: NPT Depositary Conference on the 50th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the NPT Treaty
The maintenance of a strong nonproliferation regime grounded in the NPT helped create a secure and stable security environment conducive to progress in nuclear disarmament. The NPT facilitates cooperation on peaceful uses of nuclear energy that delivers a broad spectrum of services and products that, for example, diagnose and fight diseases, develop new crops, manage scarce water resources, and broadly apply nuclear science and technology to help meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and to mark the occasion, we embarked on a historical access project to make formerly classified documents relating to NPT history available to the public for the first time.
On March 5, 2020, fifty years after the treaty entered into force, the State Department released scores of documents from the records of the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency (ACDA) covering the negotiation, signature, and ratification of the NPT. These documents are posted here.
On June 28, 2018, we released key documents relating to the history of the negotiation of the NPT, compiled by ACDA, along with the histories for other treaties negotiated in in the Eighteen-Nation Disarmament Committee. We also released declassified scenario documents and background memos for the NPT’s signing in Washington on July 1, 1968. These documents are posted here.
Additional documents related to the negotiation of the NPT can be found under Foreign Relations of the United States and at the Department’s FOIA web page.
Further resources on the origins of the NPT are available at the Lyndon B. Johnson Library , the National Archives , and the Woodrow Wilson Center. The United Kingdom and NATO have also released their own collections of documents on their respective roles in support of NPT negotiations.
Historical Documents and Photos
- March 5, 2020: Release of Historical Documents Covering the Negotiation, Signature, and Ratification of the NPT
- NPT Historical Photos
- NPT Signature, June 21, 1968
- NPT Signature, June 27, 1968
- Signing of the NPT Treaty, July 1, 1968
- Site of the NPT Signing, June 5, 1968
- The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency During the Johnson Administration—Volume II: Policy and Negotiations: The ENDC 1964-1967
- The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency During the Johnson Administration—Volume II: Policy and Negotiations: The ENDC 1967-1968
- The U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency During the Johnson Administration—Volume II: 22nd General Assembly
- Video: Signing of the NPT
- Memo to the Secretary of State: Possible Steps in Negotiating A Non-Proliferation Treaty, August 30, 1966
- Notes from the U.S. and Soviet Meeting on Non-Proliferation, New York, Sept. 27, 1966
- Working Group Language for the NPT, Sept. 30, 1966
- German Questions and Answers, Jan. 18, 1967