South Pacific Nuclear-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Rarotonga)

Full Text: http://www.state.gov/www/global/arms/treaties/spnfz.html

The zone covers Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific. Production, acquisition, possession, testing, or control of any nuclear device is prohibited, as is the encouragement of the same. There can also be no fissile material or related equipment, or any radioactive dumping or storage. The United States opposes the zone on the grounds that it would impede the passage of nuclear powered and nuclear armed United States naval vessels and has signed but not ratified the protocols.

Signed August 6, 1985. Entered into force December 11, 1986.

Parties and year of ratification: Australia (1986), Cook Islands (1985), Fiji (1985), Kiribati (1986), Nauru (1987), New Zealand (1986), Niue (1986), Papau New Guinea (1989), Solomon Islands (1989), Tonga (signed 1996), Tuvalu (1986), Vanuatu (1996), Western Samoa (1986). Protocol signatures: China (1987), France (1996), Russian Federation (1986), United Kingdom (1996), United States (1996)