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{
  "authors": [
    "Pierre Goldschmidt"
  ],
  "type": "testimony",
  "centerAffiliationAll": "dc",
  "centers": [
    "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
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  "collections": [
    "U.S. Nuclear Policy",
    "Korean Peninsula"
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  "primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
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    "Nuclear Policy"
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  "regions": [
    "North America",
    "United States",
    "Middle East",
    "Iran",
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  "topics": [
    "Nuclear Policy",
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Source: Getty

Testimony

Is the Nuclear Non-proliferation Regime in crisis? If so, why? Are there remedies?

The international community should stand back and reflect on the lessons learned from the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) experience in implementing safeguards over the last decade, particularly in North Korea and Iran. Such review and reflection suggests that just when safeguards are getting better, the political will to use them effectively seems to be waning.

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By Pierre Goldschmidt
Published on May 11, 2006
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Source: Charlottesville Committee on Foreign Relations Speech

INTRODUCTION

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859) stated: "In politics what is often most difficult to understand and appraise is what is taking place under our eyes."

De Tocqueville's insight suggests that it would be wise for the international community to stand back and to reflect on the lessons that should be learned from the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) experience in implementing safeguards over the last decade, particularly in North Korea and Iran. Such review and reflection will suggest that, ironically, just when safeguards are getting better, the political will to use them effectively seems to be waning.

This paper will explore how safeguards have gotten better, what lessons can be gleaned from the IAEA's experience over the last decade, and how the international community can address the problems that have arisen in the past few years.

Click here to access the full text of the speech (PDF).
 

About the Author

Pierre Goldschmidt

Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program

Goldschmidt was a nonresident senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment.

    Recent Work

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    Serious Deficiencies Exposed by Latest IAEA Safeguards Implementation Report

      Pierre Goldschmidt

Pierre Goldschmidt
Former Nonresident Senior Associate, Nuclear Policy Program
Pierre Goldschmidt
Nuclear PolicyNuclear EnergyNorth AmericaUnited StatesMiddle EastIranIraqSouth AsiaIndiaPakistanSouth KoreaCaucasusRussiaUnited Kingdom

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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