The Congress finds that—

(1) the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction remains one of the most serious threats to international peace and stability;

(2) South Asia, in particular, is an area where the threat of a regional nuclear exchange remains high due to continued Indo-Pakistani tensions over issues such as Kashmir;

(3) to date, United States efforts to halt proliferation in South Asia have failed;

(4) although global disarmament is a desirable goal which should be vigorously pursued, both regional and sub-regional security arrangements can serve to decrease tensions and promote non-proliferation in certain areas;

(5) thus far, there has been some success on a regional basis, such as the South Pacific Nuclear Weapons Free Zone and the Treaty of Tlatelolco in Latin America;

(6) in particular, in Latin America, the Treaty of Tlatelolco has been signed by all the nuclear powers;

(7) a critical part of this treaty is Protocol II which prohibits nuclear attacks by nuclear weapons states on signatories to the treaty;

(8) in 1991, a proposal was made for a regional conference on non-proliferation in South Asia which would include Pakistan, India, the People’s Republic of China, the Soviet Union, and the United States; and

(9) thus far, Pakistan, China, Russia, and the United States have expressed interest in attending such a conference, whereas India has refused to attend.

It is the sense of the Congress that the President should pursue a policy which seeks a regional negotiated solution to the issue of nuclear non-proliferation in South Asia at the earliest possible time, including a protocol to be signed by all nuclear weapons states, prohibiting nuclear attacks by nuclear weapons states on countries in the region. Such a policy should have as its ultimate goal concurrent accession by Pakistan and India to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and should also include as needed a phased approach to that goal through a series of agreements among the parties on nuclear issues, such as the agreement reached by Pakistan and India not to attack one another’s nuclear facilities.

(Pub. L. 87–195, pt. III, § 620F, as added Pub. L. 102–391, title V, § 585(a), Oct. 6, 1992, 106 Stat. 1688; amended Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. B, title XXII, § 2219(b), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–817; Pub. L. 113–188, title XIV, § 1401, Nov. 26, 2014, 128 Stat. 2023.)