Accord at Stockholm
The first arms control agreement since SALT II was reached on September 22, 1986, at the 35-nation Conference on Confidence- and Security-Building measures and Disarmament in Europe (CDE). The conference, which had convened in Stockholm on January 17, 1984, produced agreement on a series of measures affecting major military activities to reduce the risks of military confrontation in Europe and to give effect and expression to the duty of states to refrain from the threat or use of force in their mutual relations as well as in their international relations in general. In effect, the Stockholm agreement prohibits any state from massing military forces for whatever purpose without being subject to prompt accountability and mandatory onsite inspection. This reduces the remote but still significant risks of surprise attack, confrontation arising out of miscalculation or misunderstanding, and the use of military activities for political coercion. Agreement on mandatory on-site inspection, moreover, sets precedents for the continuing Geneva negotiations on nuclear and chemical arms control, and for limiting nuclear weapons testing. As important as the agreement itself, in light of the troubled history of arms control, Stockholm has proved, Mikhail Gorbachev declared, that even in a complex situation it is possible to reach agreement on questions of security if there is the political will and desire. Principal provisions of the agreement, which were to go into effect Jan. 1, 1987, are listed and discussed briefly. 5 references.
- Research Organization:
- Common Security Programme, Adderbury, England
- OSTI ID:
- 6492017
- Journal Information:
- Bull. At. Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: Bull. At. Sci.; (United States) Vol. 42:10; ISSN BASIA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
290000 -- Energy Planning & Policy
350101* -- Arms Control-- Policy
Negotiations
& Legislation-- Treaties-- (1987-)
98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL PROTECTION
AGREEMENTS
ARMS CONTROL
EVALUATION
INSPECTION
INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS
MEETINGS
POLITICAL ASPECTS
VERIFICATION