Nuclear arms limitation and disarmament

Not long after atomic weapons were first developed and certainly with the advent of the thermonuclear weapon and the recognition of its devastating power, the international community became aware that it faced the risk of the destruction of civilization. The measures proposed to avert or reduce that risk include the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons; the cut-off of the production of fissionable material for weapons purposes; a freeze on the production of additional nuclear weapons; the restriction or prohibition of the deployment by nuclear-weapon States of nuclear weapons on the territories of other States; and more generally, the limitation, reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons and their delivery systems. Yet the number and destructive capability of the available nuclear weapons have continuously increased, amounting to what has been called “overkill capacity”. In addition to the 5 nuclear-weapon States, China, France, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States, from 15 to 25 other States are believed to be able to develop a rudimentary nuclear weapon, should they decide to do so.

Related Subject(s): Disarmament