revistaieee7

Journal of the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies Núm. 7 / 2016
2008 the topic was successfully brought to the attention of this body once more and,
under a general item of its agenda about the ‘Maintenance of international peace and
security’, a new sub-topic was incorporated with the heading ‘strengthening collective
security through general regulation and reduction of armaments’. There then followed
an open debate and a presidential declaration was approved. 33 On this occasion,
the Security Council reiterated its belief that it was a ‘necessity to strengthen international
peace and security through, inter alia, disarmament, non-proliferation and
arms control’ as well the importance of ‘the regulation and reduction of armaments
and armed force’ to promote international peace and security. 34
In a subsequent Security Council resolution on the matter, the body once again
stresses the importance of the NPT, as well as its key role: indeed, its Resolution 1887
(2009) underlines the aspirations of the Council to achieve a world without nuclear
weapons and reaffirms the importance of the NPT as it describes it as the cornerstone
of the non-proliferation regime. All in all, it proclaimed its commitment to ridding
the world of nuclear weapons and encouraged the creation of the conditions required
for the objectives outlined in the NPT in order to promote international stability. 35
This Resolution 1887 (2009) was the first to really explore the issue of nuclear proliferation
in depth. In the document, the Security Council aimed to renew its commitment
in the area, as well as to set out its policies concerning all existing international instruments
and to undertake an assessment of states’ conduct. The aforementioned resolution
welcomed initiatives to create nuclear weapons free zones and also gave its backing to the
Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and Nuclear Facilities, the
International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Comprehensive
Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty.
Additionally, this Security Council resolution expressed concern about the nuclear
programmes of Iran and North Korea. Plus, finally, it required that all states reduce the
use of highly enriched uranium as far as possible, alongside the strengthening of measures
to control the export and financing of the proliferation of nuclear armaments.
In parallel to these measures, the permanent members of this body –presided by the
United States– have sought to boost the political prominence of the Security Council
by organising official summits on the matter. It is in these formal meetings where the
nuclear powers establish strategies and guidelines to ensure that they retain exclusive
legitimacy vis-à-vis the possession of nuclear weapons, as well as encouraging the
adoption of resolutions in the Security Council aimed at gaining greater control over
other states. In fact, on 24 September 2009, the United States, in their capacity as
President of the Security Council, convened a presidential debate on nuclear non-pro-
33 Statement by the President S/PRST/2008/43, 19 November 2008.
34 In this regard, see STOIBER, Carlton. ‘The United Nations Security Council and Nuclear Law’
in OECD, International Nuclear Law: History, Evolution and Outlook, Paris, 2010, p. 113.
35 Resolution 1887 (2009) of the Security Council, of 24 September 2009, operative paragraph 5.
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