The United States has officially withdrawn from the Open Skies treaty, with effect 22 November 2020, blaming the withdrawal on Russia’s transgression of the Treaty.
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Tag: Arms Control
Landmines cleared from Falkland Islands 38 years after conflict
Reuters reports that the final landmines on the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic have been cleared, Britain said on Tuesday [10 November 2020], nearly 40 years after they were laid by Argentine forces when they seized the British territory.
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US State Department approves sale of MQ-9 SeaGuardian drones to Taiwan
The US State Department is reported to have approved a potential sale to Taiwan of four MQ-9 SeaGuardian drones in a deal valued US $600 million, another sale of weapons to Taiwan that will be seen as provocative by China.
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Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons will enter into force in January 2021
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was ratified on 24 October 2020 by a 50th country, Honduras, and is now expected to enter into force in January 2021. The Treaty bans the use, development, production, testing, stationing, stockpiling and threat of use of such weapons. The nuclear-armed countries are not signatories to the Treaty.
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China and Germany heading for superpower status as U.S. influence wanes, says Putin
In comments made on 23 October 2020, Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have suggested that the role of the United States had waned, along with that of Britain and France, while Beijing and Berlin – in terms of political and economic weight – were heading for superpower status. He reportedly said that Washington could no longer lay claim to exceptionalism and questioned why it would want to.
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United Nations embargo on sale of conventional arms to Iran expires
Reuters reports that the 2007 Security Council arms embargo on sale of conventional weapons to Iran was due to expire on 18 October 2020, despite strong opposition from the United States.
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EUISS Brief: Revitalising the Non-Proliferation Treaty
Against the backdrop of US withdrawal from the Intermediate Range Treaty, and increasing pessimism about prospects for the renewal of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty in 2021, this Brief identifies the stakes for the EU and outlines how it could achieve the internal consensus required to make a positive impact in the 10th NPT Review Conference (April-May 2020).
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