The Commonwealth of Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany in the nuclear non-proliferation regime in 1991-2011

The given scientific article deals with the analysis of the role of the Commonwealth of Australia and the Federal Republic of Germany in the global nuclear non-proliferation regime in 1991-2011. Both states can be regarded as leaders in the corresponding regions, both from the point of view of the international standing and in terms of their economic development. This fact gives the opportunity to explore their initiatives in the field of nuclear non-proliferation in detail, through the prism of comparative analysis. Urgency of the problem cannot be underestimated, as it is truly vital for sustaining international security and global stability according to the prominent experts and politicians. First, as for the historical retrospective of the issue, both the FRG and Australia have signed and ratified the NPT, Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Australia and Germany are involved in various international agencies and organizations in the nuclear sphere to the full extent. These are both intergovernmental (International Atomic Energy Agency, Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization and other bodies) and informal (such as Zangger Committee or Nuclear Suppliers Group) organizations. These states are parties to different international agreements that form the legal basis of the contemporary nuclear non-proliferation regime regionally and globally. Thus, it was a rather important direction of Australian and German foreign policies in the 1990s and 2000s. Talking about the security component, it is necessary to mention that both Australia and Germany rely on American guarantees in terms of defence. As such, the U.S. is ready to provide the so-called ''nuclear umbrella'' for Australia under the ANZUS treaty. At the same time, Germany has American tactical nuclear weapons on its territory within NATO's nuclear sharing policy. Otherwise, nuclear activities in both countries are related to the peaceful use of atomic energy, research and development, nuclear medicine, scientific and technological work. Australia and Germany play a significant part in the multilateral discussions on the most pressing problems connected with non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The role of the civil society and non-governmental organizations in these countries is also to be taken into consideration. Finally, one can define similarities and differences characteristic to the participation of Australia and Germany in the nuclear non-proliferation regime within the specified period of history.

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