The outcome of the 1995 NPT review and extension conference

The Conference convened on 17 April under the presidency of Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, after two years of preparation through a Preparatory Committee, which had held four sessions. The Committee mainly concentrated on examining documents to be put before the Conference as well as on procedural matters, including procedures for voting on the extension of the NPT. The latter were agreed upon along with the other Rules of Procedure only on the day before the Conference adopted its decisions. Rules of Procedure were applied provisionally until agreement was reached on how to vote on extension - a vote which, it appeared towards the end of the Conference, would not take place anyway. As there was no vote, it remains to be said that the rules agreed upon on this aspect are unique and academic, as they are not expected to be re-introduced in other conferences