# Seabed Arms Control Treaty

The Seabed Arms Control Treaty (or Seabed Treaty, formally the Treaty on the Prohibition of the Emplacement of Nuclear Weapons and Other Weapons of Mass Destruction on the Sea-Bed and the Ocean Floor and in the Subsoil thereof) is a multilateral agreement between the United States, Soviet Union (now Russia), United Kingdom, and 91 other countries banning the emplacement of nuclear weapons or "weapons of mass destruction" on the ocean floor beyond a 12-mile (22.2 km) coastal zone. It allows signatories to observe all seabed "activities" of any other signatory beyond the 12-mile zone to ensure compliance.
Like the Antarctic Treaty, the Outer Space Treaty, and the Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone treaties, the Seabed Arms Control Treaty sought to prevent the introduction of international conflict and nuclear weapons into an area hitherto free of them. Reaching agreement on the seabed, however, involved problems that were not met in framing the other two agreements.

## History

In the 1960s, advances in the technology of oceanography and greatly increased interest in the vast and virtually untapped resources of the ocean floor led to concern that the absence of clearly established rules of law might lead to strife. There were concurrent fears that nations might use the seabed as a new environment for military installations, including those capable of launching nuclear weapons.
In keeping with a proposal submitted to the U.N. Secretary General by Ambassador Pardo of Malta in August 1967, the U.N. General Assembly, on 18 December 1967, established an ad hoc committee to study ways of reserving the seabed for peaceful purposes, with the objective of ensuring "that the exploration and use of the seabed and the ocean floor should be conducted in accordance with the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, in the interests of maintaining international peace and security and for the benefit of all mankind." The committee was given permanent status the following year. At the same time, seabed-related military and arms control issues were referred to the Eighteen Nation Committee on Disarmament (ENDC) and its successor, the Conference of the Committee on Disarmament (CCD). In a message of 18 March 1969, President Nixon said the American delegation to the ENDC should seek discussion of the factors necessary for an international agreement prohibiting the emplacement of weapons of mass destruction on the seabed and ocean floor and pointed out that an agreement of this kind would, like the Antarctic and Outer Space treaties, "prevent an arms race before it has a chance to start."

## Status
### List of parties

The Seabed Arms Control Treaty was opened for signature in Washington, London, and Moscow on 11 February 1971. It entered into force 18 May 1972, when the United States, the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and more than 22 nations had deposited instruments of ratification. As of October 2018, 94 current states are parties to the treaty, while another 21 have signed the treaty but have not completed ratification.
Multiple dates indicate the different days in which states submitted their signature or deposition, which varied by location. This location is noted by: (L) for London, (M) for Moscow, and (W) for Washington.
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
| Afghanistan | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Apr 22, 1971 (M) Apr 23, 1971 (L) May 21, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Algeria | | Jan 27, 1992 (W) | Accession |
| Antigua and Barbuda | | Nov 16, 1988 (W) Dec 26, 1988 (M) Jan 26, 1989 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
| Argentina | Sep 3, 1971 (L, M, W) | Mar 21, 1983 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Australia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jan 23, 1973 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Austria | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Aug 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Bahamas | | Jun 7, 1989 (W) | Accession |
| Belarus | Mar 3, 1971 (M) | Sep 14, 1971 (M) | Ratified as the Byelorussian SSR |
| Belgium | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Nov 20, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Benin | Mar 18, 1971 (W) | Jun 19, 1986 (M) Jul 2, 1986 (L) Jul 7, 1986 (W) | Ratification |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | | Aug 15, 1994 (W) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia |
| Botswana | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Nov 10, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
| Brazil | Sep 3, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 10, 1988 (L, W) Aug 4, 1988 (M) | Ratification |
| Bulgaria | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Apr 16, 1971 (M) May 7, 1971 (W) May 26, 1971 (L) | Ratification |
| Canada | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 17, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Cape Verde | | Oct 24, 1979 (M) | Accession |
| Central African Republic | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Jul 9, 1981 (W) | Ratification |
| China | | Feb 28, 1991 (L, M, W) | Accession |
| Congo | | Oct 23, 1978 (W) | Accession |
| Côte d'Ivoire | | Jan 14, 1972 (M, W) | Accession |
| Cuba | | Jun 3, 1977 (M) | Accession |
| Cyprus | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Nov 17, 1971 (L, M) Dec 30, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Czech Republic | | Jan 1, 1993 (W) Apr 5, 1993 (L) Apr 9, 1993 (M) | Succession from Czechoslovakia |
| Denmark | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jun 15, 1971 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Dominican Republic | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Feb 11, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
| Ethiopia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jul 12, 1977 (L) Jul 14, 1977 (M, W) | Ratification |
| Finland | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jun 8, 1971 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Germany | Jun 8, 1971 (L, M, W) | Nov 18, 1975 (L, W) | Ratification |
| Ghana | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Aug 9, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
| Greece | Feb 11, 1971 (M) Feb 12, 1971 (W) | May 28, 1985 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Guatemala | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Apr 1, 1996 (W) | Ratification |
| Guinea-Bissau | | Aug 20, 1976 (M) | Accession |
| Hungary | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Aug 13, 1971 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Iceland | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 30, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| India | | Jul 20, 1973 (L, M, W) | Accession |
| Iran | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Aug 26, 1971 (L, W) Sep 6, 1971 (M) | Ratification |
| Iraq | Feb 22, 1971 (M) | Sep 13, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
| Ireland | Feb 11, 1971 (L, W) | Aug 19, 1971 (L, W) | Ratification |
| Italy | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Sep 3, 1974 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Jamaica | Oct 11, 1971 (L, W) Oct 14, 1971 (M) | Jul 30, 1986 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Japan | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jun 21, 1971 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Jordan | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Aug 17, 1971 (W) Aug 30, 1971 (M) Nov 1, 1971 (L) | Ratification |
| South Korea | Feb 11, 1971 (L, W) | Jun 25, 1987 (L, W) | Ratification |
| Laos | Feb 11, 1971 (L, W) Feb 15, 1971 (M) | Oct 19, 1971 (L) Oct 22, 1971 (M) Nov 3, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Latvia | | Jun 24, 1992 (L) Aug 3, 1992 (W) Aug 21, 1992 (M) | Accession |
| Lesotho | Sep 8, 1971 (W) | Apr 3, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
| Libya | | Jul 6, 1990 (M) | Accession |
| Liechtenstein | | May 30, 1991 (L, W) May 31, 1991 (M) | Accession |
| Luxembourg | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Nov 11, 1982 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Malaysia | May 20, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jun 21, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Malta | Feb 11, 1971 (L, W) | May 4, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Mauritius | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Apr 23, 1971 (W) May 3, 1971 (L) May 18, 1971 (M) | Ratification |
| Mexico | | Mar 23, 1984 (L, M, W) | Accession |
| Mongolia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M) | Oct 8, 1971 (M) Nov 15, 1981 (L) | Ratification |
| Montenegro | | Jun 3, 2006 (M) Dec 12, 2006 (L) | Succession from FR Yugoslavia |
| Morocco | Feb 11, 1971 (M, W) Feb 18, 1971 (L) | Jul 26, 1971 (L) Aug 5, 1971 (W) Jan 18, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
| Nepal | Feb 11, 1971 (M, W) Feb 24, 1971 (L) | Jul 6, 1971 (L) Jul 29, 1971 (M) Aug 9, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Netherlands | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jan 14, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| New Zealand | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Feb 24, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Nicaragua | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Feb 7, 1973 (W) | Ratification |
| Niger | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Aug 9, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Norway | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jun 28, 1971 (L, M) Jun 29, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Panama | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Mar 20, 1974 (W) | Ratification |
| Philippines | | Nov 5, 1993 (L) | Accession |
| Poland | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Nov 15, 1971 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Portugal | | Jun 24, 1975 (L, M, W) | Accession |
| Qatar | | Nov 12, 1974 (L) | Accession |
| Romania | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Jul 10, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Russia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 18, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratified as the Soviet Union |
| Rwanda | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | May 20, 1975 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | | May 18, 1972 (W) | Accession |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | | May 13, 1999 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
| Sao Tome and Principe | | Aug 24, 1979 (M) | Accession |
| Saudi Arabia | Jan 7, 1972 (W) | Jun 23, 1972 (W) | Ratification |
| Serbia | | Jun 3, 2006 (L, M) | Succession from FR Yugoslavia |
| Seychelles | | Mar 12, 1985 (L) Mar 14, 1985 (M) Apr 8, 1985 (W) | Accession |
| Singapore | May 5, 1971 (L, M, W) | Sep 10, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Slovakia | | Jan 1, 1993 (W) May 17, 1993 (L) Jun 25, 1993 (M) | Succession from Czechoslovakia |
| Slovenia | | Apr 7, 1992 (L) Aug 20, 1992 (W) | Succession from SFR Yugoslavia |
| Solomon Islands | | Jun 17, 1981 (L) | Succession from United Kingdom |
| South Africa | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Nov 14, 1973 (W) Nov 26, 1973 (L) Nov 30, 1973 (M) | Ratification |
| Spain | | Jul 15, 1987 (L, M, W) | Accession |
| Swaziland | Feb 11, 1971 (W) | Aug 9, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Sweden | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Apr 28, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Switzerland | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 4, 1976 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Togo | Apr 2, 1971 (W) | Jun 28, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Tunisia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | Oct 22, 1971 (M) Oct 28, 1971 (L) Oct 29, 1971 (W) | Ratification |
| Turkey | Feb 25, 1971 (L, M, W) | Oct 19, 1972 (W) Oct 25, 1972 (L) Oct 30, 1972 (M) | Ratification |
| Ukraine | Mar 3, 1971 (M) | Sep 3, 1971 (M) | Ratified as the Ukrainian SSR |
| United Kingdom | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 18, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| United States | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) | May 18, 1972 (L, M, W) | Ratification |
| Vietnam | | Jun 20, 1980 (M) | Accession as the Socialist Republic of Vietnam |
| Yemen | Feb 23, 1971 (M) | Jun 1, 1979 (M) | Ratification |
| Zambia | | Oct 9, 1972 (L) Nov 1, 1972 (W) Nov 2, 1972 (M) | Accession |

#### Notes

* ↑ Montenegro's effective date of succession was 3 June 2006.
* ↑ Signed by the Republic of Vietnam on 11 February 1971, but following the victory by the Democratic Republic of Vietnam in the Vietnam War, the reunified Socialist Republic of Vietnam renounced all treaty actions performed by the Republic of Vietnam.

### State with limited recognition, abiding by treaty

The Republic of China (Taiwan), which is currently only recognized by 11 UN member states, deposited their instruments of ratification of the treaty prior to the United States' decision to switch their recognition of the sole legitimate government of China from the Republic of China (ROC) to the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1971. When the PRC subsequently ratified the treaty, they described the ROC's ratification as "illegal". The ROC has committed itself to continue to adhere to the requirements of the treaty, and the United States has declared that they still consider them to be "bound by its obligations".
| State | Signed | Deposited | Method |
| Republic of China | Feb 11, 1971 | Feb 22, 1972 | Ratification |

### States that have signed but not ratified

| State | Signed |
| Bolivia | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) |
| Burundi | Feb 11, 1971 (M, W) |
| Cambodia | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Cameroon | Nov 11, 1971 (M) |
| Colombia | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Costa Rica | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Equatorial Guinea | Jun 4, 1971 (W) |
| Gambia | May 18, 1971 (L) May 21, 1971 (M) Oct 29, 1971 (W) |
| Guinea | Feb 11, 1971 (M, W) |
| Honduras | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Lebanon | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) |
| Liberia | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Madagascar | Sep 14, 1971 (W) |
| Mali | Feb 11, 1971 (W) Feb 15, 1971 (M) |
| Myanmar | Feb 11, 1971 (L, M, W) |
| Paraguay | Feb 23, 1971 (W) |
| Senegal | Mar 17, 1971 (W) |
| Sierra Leone | Feb 11, 1971 (L) Feb 12, 1971 (M) Feb 24, 1971 (W) |
| Sudan | Feb 11, 1971 (L) Feb 12, 1971 (M) |
| Tanzania | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |
| Uruguay | Feb 11, 1971 (W) |

### Non-signatory states

The remaining UN member states and UN observer states, which have not signed the treaty, are:
* Albania
* Andorra
* Angola
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Burkina Faso
* Chad
* Chile
* Comoros
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Croatia
* Djibouti
* Dominica
* Ecuador
* Egypt
* El Salvador
* Eritrea
* Estonia
* Fiji
* France
* Gabon
* Georgia
* Grenada
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Indonesia
* Israel
* Kazakhstan
* Kenya
* Kiribati
* North Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Lithuania
* Malawi
* Maldives
* Marshall Islands
* Mauritania
* Micronesia
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Nauru
* Nigeria
* North Macedonia
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Peru
* Saint Lucia
* Samoa
* San Marino
* Somalia
* South Sudan
* Sri Lanka
* Suriname
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor Leste
* Tonga
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Turkmenistan
* Tuvalu
* Uganda
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vanuatu
* Venezuela
* Zimbabwe