Arms Control/Disarmament and Nuclear

Non-Proliferation Regime
I. Introduction

Disarmament
Agreements to reduce or destroy weapons or other means of attack.
Supported by Liberals, they term it as an Ambitious Approach.
Based on reciprocal agreements.

Arms Control
Multilateral agreements to contain arms race by setting limits on number and types
of weapons states are permitted.
Supported by Realists, they term it as a less Ambitious Approach.

Methods
Bilateral Agreements.
Multilateral Agreements.

II. Historical Perspective

Justification for Armament

Weapons are not the causes but the consequences of conflictive relations i.e. fear of
attacks.
A historical survey of the arms race indicates that during the past two centuries this
form of international competition often ends peacefully in recognition of the military
superiority of one side or the other i.e. states are often trying to size up themselves to
gain superiority.
Countries which have no adequate defense tempt aggressors and therefore preparing
for war is the best way to achieve peace.

Arguments for Disarmament

Arms and arms race are costly and potentially very bloody.
Arms reduction can curtail defense burden and allow economic investment for
productive purposes.
Unchecked growth of armaments without economic means can lead to internal
repression and external aggression.
 Arms Control
Arms reduction implies partially disarmament based on mutually agreed set of arms
levels between a given groups of nation states.
Arms limitation includes a wide variety of international accords to limit impact of
potential wars or to prevent their accidental outbreak (exchange of information or ban
on particular types of weaponry).

History of Disarmament
Attempts to disarmament can be traced back to Treaty of Westphalia in 1648, which
stipulated against the need for building fortifications.
In 1816, Czar of Russia proposed to the British government the reduction of
armaments, this call was not very well received. France made similar calls in 1863 and
1869 for disarmament in Europe, but it too was ignored.
In 1898, Tsar of Russia called on European powers to gather at Hague to discuss
disarmament, a suggestion which was well received, leading to the First Hague Peace
Conference attended by 28 states. Another conference was held at Hague in 1907 for
the same purpose.
Although both conferences called upon military and naval experts to propose reducing
military expenditures through disarmaments, but the major powers were not ready for
such moves in practice.

Disarmament after 1st World War

Devastation caused during the war raised serious questions for leaders to consider
disarmament.
Woodrow Wilson in one of his 14 points asserted armament should be reduced to the
lowest point consistent with domestic safety.
Treaty of Versailles (1919) also recognized that the maintenance of peace requires the
reduction of national armaments.
The League of Nations was given the duty to secure a general agreement on
disarmament and its covenant stated that only those countries be allowed membership
who accepted the proposed agreement. A permanent advisory commission was
established in the League, but being comprised of military personnel, it failed to make
much progress on disarmament.
Temporary Mixed Commission in 1920 was formed by the League Council to identify
limitation of land and naval forces for various countries according to the national
security needs. The commission proposed compulsory arbitration and international aid
to victims of aggression but it was rejected by the League of Nations members.
Another commission was setup in 1926 which prepared a draft treaty considered at the
League conference in Geneva in 1932 by 61 states. Though discussions continued for
2 years but the Japanese attack on Manchuria and German withdrawal from the treaty
in 1933 dashed hopes for global disarmament.
 Disarmament after 2nd World War
UN Charter laid emphasis on the need for disarmament.
UN established a military staff committee to assist the Security Council to regulate
armaments and explore means for disarmament.

III. Efforts by UN for disarmament

UN Atomic Energy Commission included all 5 Security Council members and Canada.
Purpose of the commission was to explore for peaceful transfer of nuclear technology,
to identify safeguards for inspection of compliant states to prevent hazards or
violations, and work towards eliminating nuclear weapons.
Both superpowers agreed to cooperate, but their divergent stances (US argued that
control must take precedence over disarmament and USSR wanted the converse) failed
to help achieve the Commission goals.
UN General Assembly also established a commission on Conventional Armaments
which too fell victim to Cold War divergences.
Ultimately USSR pulled out on both commissions due to Chinas representation on
them.

Atoms for Peace Plan

In 1953, Eisenhower proposed establishing a pool of fissionable materials donated by
nuclear states to the Atomic Energy Commission to be provided to other countries
strictly for peaceful purposes.
Soviets opposed the plan arguing that an agreement on prohibiting nuclear weapons
was necessary prior to disseminating nuclear technology.

IV. Other Efforts

Convention on Prohibition of Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of
Antipersonnel Mines (APL; Anti-Personnel Landmines) in December 1997 by Peace
Activist Jody Williams efforts.

Bilateral Efforts
25 agreements in wake of Cuban Missile Crisis between US & USSR.
1963, Hotline Agreement, Direct Radio/Telegraph Communication Hotline.
SALT (Strategic Arms Limitation Talks) in 1972
Stabilization of Nuclear Arms in 1979
INF (Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces) in 1979 to eliminate all medium range
missiles.
START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) 1991, 1993, 1997 (START I to III) to cut
nuclear arsenals to 80% of Cold War limit.
SORT (Strategic Offensive Reduction Treaty) 2002 to limit weapons to 1700 and 2200
by 2012.
Effects as a result were:
 (i) Since 1986, 90% reduction in nuclear arsenals of USA and Russia.
(ii) No increase in nuclear stockpile since 2000.
(iii) Threats of arms race i.e. US Star Wars Missiles and Russian Stealth Rocket
Range of 6125 miles.

Multilateral Efforts
1968s Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Goals of NPT also known as three Nos
were:
(i) No LOOSE smuggled nukes for sales in black market.
(ii) No NASCENT Nuclear states.
(iii) No NEW Nuclear weapon states.
1972 Biological Weapons Convention. (171 signatories)
Six nation summit in 1985 in New Delhi was indicative of the growing concern
amongst developing countries about nuclear weapons.
1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. (181 signatories)

Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

177 signatories
NPT review conference in Geneva in 1995 recommended infinite extension to NPT.
Israel, Pakistan, India were criticized for not acceding to the NPT nor to the subsequent
CTBT, which even forbids tests required for developing nuclear weapons.
France signed CTBT after testing its last nuclear test in Pacific.
India and Pakistan remain reluctant and argue that the advanced nuclear states can keep
their weaponry safe and updated by tests stimulated in laboratory settings.

New Dimensions to Arms Race/Arms Control

Irans P5+1 deal.
North Korea testing of nuclear weapons.
India and Pakistans race for NSG membership.

V. Problematic Future
There is only regulation to obsolete armaments.
There are parties with no capabilities to develop.
Intentionally quoting higher numbers.
Balloon Expansion (SALT I; ICBMs to Multiple Independently Targeted Re-entry
MIRVs).
Continuous innovation
In 2001, US decided to abrogate AMB Treaty of 1972 and in 2007, Russia threatened
to quit INF.
Since 1945, there have been 2064 nuclear explosions i.e. an estimate of 1 explosion
after 11 days.
Regular conduction of Zero Yield Nuclear Experiments by China and the US.