Observations, Conclusions, Perspective

Uranium enrichment and plutonium production capabilities are treated under the NPT regime as legal activities if the country pursues them for peaceful purposes. Yet, this is considered to be the “Achilles’ heel” of the international non-proliferation regime, because the country that possesses these capabilities could use them to illegally and unexpectedly break-out of the regime and its obligations and pursue a military nuclear program, that means to build nuclear weapons.