The UN Security Council has not practically dealt with the WMD proliferation problems until recently. In extreme cases it used such instrument as resolution.

In 1998 the Security Council passed Resolution 1172 which condemned nuclear tests conducted by India and Pakistan in May 1998.

On October 14, 2006 the Security Council adopted Resolution 1718 condemning nuclear test proclaimed by China, making certain demands of this state and imposing sanctions against it.

On March 24, 2007 the UN Security Council referring to and confirming the provisions of Resolution 1696 from July 31, 2006 and Resolution 1737 from December 23, 2006, unanimously voted for Resolution 1747 which toughened sanctions against Iran for Tehran's refusal to stop its nuclear program. At the same time the Council members also proposed to start new negotiations and renewed the package of technological proposals aimed at making Iran stop the uranium enrichment.

In the two latter resolutions there is a provision that the members act on the grounds of the UN Charter which makes these documents obligatory for all UN member-states. This is the essential difference of Resolution 1172 from 1998.

Though mentioned resolutions are aimed at preventing the WMD proliferation the assessment of their effectiveness is beyond the scope of this study as it requires analysis of causes and motives that induced certain states to launch nuclear programs as well as prognosis of their response.

On April 28, 2004 the UN Security Council approved the document, unprecedented in the history of this international institution – Resolution 1540. The resolution was adopted under the Chapter VII provisions of the UN Charter – “Action with respect to threats to the peace, breaches of the peace, and acts of aggression” – which made it obligatory for all UN member-states.

In accordance with paragraph 4 of the resolution the Committee 1540 was established within the framework of the Security Council. It had to promote the implementation of the resolution by all UN member-states. The Committee was established for the period of no longer than two years and became operational on June 11, 2004. On the basis of Resolution 1673 from April 27, 2006 the UN Security Council extended the activity of the Committee 1540 for another two years.