From The "forced Compliance" To "self-compliance": Policy Research, The Federal Republic Of Germany On The "nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty

Compliance means the states comply with or conform to the international agreements. According to whether the compliance is voluntary or not, we can divide Compliance into two categories: enforcement compliance and self-compliance. Enforcement compliance implies that the states are forced to comply with the treaties; and Self-compliance means the states comply with the treaties for their self-interest or because they perceive the norms as legitimate.In June 12th 1968, the international society concluded the "Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons" to restrain the nuclear proliferation. NPT was opened for signature in July 1st 1968, and entered into force in March 5th 1970. Until now, it have 190 members, it is the most common treaty in international arms-control field, and also the cornerstone of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. Under the NPT, the non-nuclear states have two obligations: one is not to develop nuclear weapons itself; the other is not to help other countries develop nuclear weapons.Federal Republic of Germany signed the NPT in November 28th 1969, and ratified it in 1975. After the research we find, Germany comply with the NPT has experienced a process which evolved from enforcement compliance to self-compliance. During the Cold War, Germany was forced to sign and comply with the NPT by the Soviet Union, Britain, France and the U.S. This compliance was the result of external factors, not Germany really wanted to do. Therefore, once the external restraint relaxed, it will seek to breach the NPT. This obvious reflected in the fact that Germany used the loophole of the NPT, it implemented loose nuclear export control policy for its economic interests, then led to nuclear proliferation.After the Cold War, the external pressure alleviated, meanwhile it came out some voice advocate Germany to have and develop nuclear weapons. However Germany announced that it remain comply with NPT, renounced the rights to develop nuclear weapons. This self-compliance have two reasons: first and the most direct reason is to gain the external support especially the western powers' support for the Germany unification; besides this self-interests reason, there is more deep reason, that's because Germany has gradually internalized the non-proliferation norms in the interaction with the international society, it changed the attitudes to the NPT and international non-proliferation regime, then self-complied with the NPT, and propelled the international nuclear non-proliferation regime work forward. This norms internalization caused self-compliance displayed in the following aspects: Germany not only fulfilled the NPT obligation, but also positively and initiatively push forward the NPT and international nuclear non-proliferation regime, it gave some beneficial suggestions to solve the difficulties the NPT and international nuclear non-proliferation regime confronted. Just because Germany altered its attitudes to NPT and international nuclear non-proliferation regime, it no longer push its economic interests above the nuclear non-proliferation, it became the important actors to promote the international nuclear non-proliferation regime.