The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) is a bureau within the
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State (DOS), or simply the State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy of the United State ...
responsible for managing a broad range of
nonproliferation
Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons to additional countries, particularly those not recognized as nuclear-weapon states by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the ''Non-Proliferation T ...
and
counterproliferation functions. The bureau leads U.S. efforts to prevent the spread of
weapons of mass destruction
A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a Biological agent, biological, chemical weapon, chemical, Radiological weapon, radiological, nuclear weapon, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great dam ...
(
nuclear
Nuclear may refer to:
Physics
Relating to the nucleus of the atom:
*Nuclear engineering
*Nuclear physics
*Nuclear power
*Nuclear reactor
*Nuclear weapon
*Nuclear medicine
*Radiation therapy
*Nuclear warfare
Mathematics
* Nuclear space
*Nuclear ...
,
chemical
A chemical substance is a unique form of matter with constant chemical composition and characteristic properties. Chemical substances may take the form of a single element or chemical compounds. If two or more chemical substances can be combin ...
, and
biological
Biology is the scientific study of life and living organisms. It is a broad natural science that encompasses a wide range of fields and unifying principles that explain the structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, and distribution of ...
weapons), their
delivery systems,
advanced conventional weapons, and related materials, technologies, and expertise.
It was created on September 13, 2005, when the Bureau of Arms Control and the Bureau of Nonproliferation were merged.
Stephen G. Rademaker was the first Acting
. He had been the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Arms Control, and in February 2005 he was named the head of the Bureau for Nonproliferation pending the two bureaus' merger.
Role and Responsibilities
The Bureau's role within the Department of State is to spearhead efforts to promote international consensus on WMD proliferation through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy. The ISN Bureau is also tasked to address WMD proliferation threats posed by non-state
actors
An actor (masculine/gender-neutral), or actress (feminine), is a person who portrays a character in a production. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, radio, and television. ...
and
terrorist groups by improving physical security, using interdiction and
sanctions, and actively participating in the
Proliferation Security Initiative
The Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) is a global effort that aims to stop trafficking of weapons of mass destruction (WMD), their delivery systems, and related materials to and from states and non-state actors of proliferation concern. ...
.
The bureau also coordinates the implementation of international treaties and arrangements. It seeks to work with international organizations such as the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, the
G7,
NATO
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
, and the
International Atomic Energy Agency
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is an intergovernmental organization that seeks to promote the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear energy and to inhibit its use for any military purpose, including nuclear weapons. It was ...
to reduce and eliminate threats posed by weapons of mass destruction, and to support foreign partners in their efforts.
Organization
In addition to the Assistant Secretary, the bureau is overseen by four Deputy Assistant Secretaries, who supervise thirteen unique offices.
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation
*Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
*Office of Critical Technology Protection
*Office of Policy Coordination
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Nonproliferation Policy
*Biological Policy Staff
*Office of Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs
*Office of Nuclear Energy, Safety, and Security
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Security Policy
*Office of Conventional Arms Threat Reduction
*Office of Counterproliferation Initiatives
*Office of Missile, Biological, and Chemical Nonproliferation
Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Security and Nonproliferation Programs
*Office of Cooperative Threat Reduction
*Office of Export Control Cooperation
*Office of Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund
*Office of Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism
The bureau also includes:
*U.S. Special Representative for Nuclear Nonproliferation, who leads the U.S. delegation to the
Nonproliferation Treaty.
*Special Representative for the
Biological Weapons Convention
The Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), or Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), is a disarmament treaty that effectively bans Biological weapons, biological and toxin weapons by prohibiting their development, production, acquisition, ...
References
External links
*
{{authority control
Arms control
Nuclear proliferation
ISN
Government agencies established in 2005