For information only - not an official document

UNIS/INF/442
25 April 2012

MEDIA ADVISORY

Preparatory Committee for the 2015 Nuclear Non- Proliferation Treaty Review Conference to meet in Vienna, 30 April - 11 May 2012

VIENNA, 25 April (UN Information Service) - The Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the 2015 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) will hold its first session from 30 April to 11 May 2012 at the Vienna International Centre. This meeting is the first of three sessions that will be held prior to the 2015 Review Conference.

The PrepCom, open to all States parties to the Treaty, will address substantive and procedural issues related to the Treaty and the upcoming Review Conference in 2015. The Chair-designate of the first session is Ambassador Peter Woolcott of Australia.

There will be a filming and photo opportunity at 9.50 a.m. on Monday 30 April prior to the start of the Opening Session at 10 a.m. in Plenary Room (BR B/M1), M-building, Vienna International Centre.

The purpose of the PrepCom is to prepare for the Review Conference in terms of assessing the implementation of each article of the NPT and facilitating discussion among States with a view to making recommendations to the Review Conference.

The NPT, which entered into force in 1970 and was extended indefinitely in 1995, requires that review conferences be held every five years. The Treaty is regarded as the cornerstone of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. It was designed to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons technology, to further the goal of nuclear disarmament and general and complete disarmament, and to promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

For media accreditation please contact Veronika Crowe-Mayerhofer (Telephone: +43 1 260 60 3342) or write to press[at]unvienna.org. Journalists already accredited to the VIC do not need re-accreditation.

Access to the M-building is via Checkpoint One of the Vienna International Centre. Camera crews should confirm their participation in advance in writing. Media are advised to come to the venue at least half an hour before the briefing to avoid delays at security.

Some meetings of the conference may be closed to the media.

Further information on the NPT preparatory session go to:
http://www.un.org/disarmament/WMD/Nuclear/NPT2015/PrepCom2012/index.html

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