About this record

A confidential cablegram sent to Australian representatives in Geneva, New York, Washington and Vienna.

Educational value

• The cablegram documents Australia's initial concerns over the economic and strategic implications of signing the NPT, specifically because Australia, as a non-nuclear weapon state (NNWS), may wish to call on its allies for nuclear support if it were to come under attack. At the time, Australia sought alliances based on strategic national security needs, and did not want the NPT to weaken its position.

• The treaty referred to was signed by the Gorton government, supported by the Australian Atomic Energy Commission (AAEC), with reluctance. The government would have preferred not to sign the treaty, but apparently succumbed to mounting pressure from the United States. Both the DEA, a supporter of non-proliferation, and the Department of National Development through the pro-nuclear AAEC, were involved in the development of nuclear policy at the time.

• The document's reference to 'Paragraph 6' specifically relates to an exemption to non-use of nuclear weapons in the situation where one NNWS attacks another NNWS with conventional weapons. This was particularly relevant to Australia because of its isolated geographical position and proximity to a politically unstable Asia-Pacific region. The Australian Government was seeking assurances that signing the NPT would not leave it unprotected if such circumstances were to occur.

• The document refers to the 1968 NPT which aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons while ensuring access to peaceful nuclear technology under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. The multilateral treaty was negotiated during the politically intense Cold War period and was the result of concerted international efforts for disarmament and to curb the use of nuclear weapons.

• The NPT was declared on 5 March 1970. Australia signed the treaty in February 1970 but did not ratify it until a change of government in 1973. The five nuclear weapon states were those that had detonated nuclear weapons prior to 1967. They were China, the United States, Britain, France and the former Soviet Union. All other signatories were considered non-nuclear weapon states.