In order for the Non-Proliferation Treaty to work there needs to be direct talks and negotiations with the five major nuclear powers and those countries that have them illegally.

April 17, 2017

By Simon Denyer

...Even though coal imports from North Korea (click here) appear to have been cut, and Air China canceled some direct flights from Beijing to Pyongyang from this week, overall imports and exports between the two countries were up sharply in the first quarter of this year, data released by Chinese customs showed.

In the final analysis, some experts say, the legacy of the Korean War, and the survival of the regime China backed at the cost of so much blood, remains paramount.

“China may marginally increase economic pressure on North Korea by cutting down trade, tourist flows or food aide, but its primary goal is to placate Washington,” said Yanmei Xie, a politics and foreign policy expert at Gavekal Dragonomics. “Beijing has reasons and means to discipline Kim, but is more concerned with ensuring the survival of his regime, thus maintaining a buffer against U.S. military presence in the South.”...

Most every decision maker, with the exception of Trump and Putin, believe nuclear war has to be completely avoidable. In order to end the threat of nuclear war there has to be elimination of nuclear weapons. It would be best if the five permanent members arrived at a number to reduce their arsenals to match that of illegal stores within Third World countries.

When the illegal countries realize there is seriousness within the five permanent members to bring about the final reality of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, they may very well trade their nuclear arsenals for conventional weapons.