A sacred matter
In the Middle East, the future of nuclear nonproliferation depends on progress towards the settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict as much as on proliferation developments in those regional states that are currently outside the peace process. This article describes how the present situation is a mix of good and bad news. The good news is that both moderate Arab states and Israel share a genuine concern about nuclear proliferation and the need to deal with it on a regional basis. Furthermore, in conjunction with the bilateral peace talks, there is now a regional forum--the Multilateral Working Group on Regional Security and Arms Control--to discuss these issues. The bad news is that the region's most determined proliferators, Iran and Iraq, are not parties to the forum. This article contains proposals for Middle East arms control measures and discusses the likelihood that a given measure would be successful. Essentially, the author believes that minimization of the dangers of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East will require that the deep political conflict underlying the incentive for proliferation be addressed.
- OSTI ID:
- 6280717
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States), Journal Name: Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; (United States) Vol. 49:5; ISSN BASIAP; ISSN 0096-5243
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290600* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Nuclear Energy
350200 -- Arms Control-- Proliferation-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AGREEMENTS
ARAB COUNTRIES
ARMS CONTROL
ASIA
BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS
IRAN
IRAQ
ISRAEL
MIDDLE EAST
MULTILATERAL AGREEMENTS
NATIONAL SECURITY
PROLIFERATION
SECURITY