The Treaty of Bangkok
is quite similar to the treaties of Tlatelolco, Rartonga, and Pelindaba.
It establishes a nuclear weapon-free zone (NWFZ) in Southeast Asia.
Parties may are forbidden, "both inside and outside the zone, from developing,
testing, manufacturing or otherwise acquiring, possessing, or having control
over nuclear
weapons."
Like the treaties of Pelindaba and Rarotonga, dumping of radioactive material
at sea is forbidden. It may be disposed of on land only under IAEA
safeguards. However, unlike the Treaty of Pelindaba, research on
a nuclear explosive device is not forbidden. Although peaceful nucler
activity is permitted each state must abide by the IAEA's safety standards
before beginning.
Verification
Like the other treaties establishing NWFZs, the parties in the Treaty of Bangkok must adopt "full-scope" IAEA standards. The Executive Committee of the Commission for the Southeast Asia NWFZ is created to overlook verification of the treaty. The organization will be composed of representatives of all the parties.1
Aricles 5, 11,
12, 13: Control System
5: All
Parties must adopt full-scope IAEA safeguards.
11: Each state must inform the Executive Committee of any significant events that affect the treaty. States may exchange information with one another.
12: State X may ask State Y on clarification of any information State Y has submitted about the treaty. State X should inform the Executive Committee that it is making a request. When State Y should respond promptly to State X and send its reply to the Executive Committee as well.
13: State
X may ask the Executive Committee to send a fact-finding mission to the
territory of State Y.2
Notes
The treaty leaves
it to each party's discretion whether or not to allow foreign ships into
its port or territorial waters and foreign planes to flly in its landspace.
There is always the possibility that these ships or planes are carrying
nuclear material.
Treaty
Map from OPANAL website
1Article
from the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies
2Full
Text of the Treaty of Bangkok from the OPANAL site