Testing a Nuclear Test Ban
What Should be Prohibited by a `Comprehensive' Treaty?
David A. Koplow(Author)
Dartmouth Publishing Co Ltd
1st Edition
Published on 28. December 1996
Book
Hardback
184 pages
978-1-85521-806-2 (ISBN)
Description
This book is a study of the single most controversial issue arising in the single most important ongoing international arms control negotiation. The topic is the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty (CTB) talks and the core question concerns the likely 'scope' of the ultimate agreement: precisely which types of nuclear weapons-related events would be barred and which would be preserved as legal, under a sound widely-acceptable, treaty? Weapons engineers in the United States, Russia and elsewhere have created a range of ambiguous events - some of which would help ensure the continuing 'reliability' of existing nuclear weapons, some of which would assist in the process of designing new genres of bombs, and some of which might be relevant to a range of wholly civilian activities, such as the production of fusion energy. Diplomats (aided by military, technical, legal and other experts) are now attempting to resolve these issues in the treaty negotiations and the international - and for many countries, internal - political machinations are complex, important, and protracted.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Weight
367 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-85521-806-2 (9781855218062)
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Schweitzer Classification
Content
Contents: Introduction. The Importance and History of a CTB: The Security Functions of a Test Ban; The Convoluted History of Test Ban Negotiations. The First Dilemma: Whether to Allow Some Explosions: Why Countries Conduct Nuclear Explosions; How Countries Detect Nuclear Explosions; What Events Might Be Tolerated by a CTB. The Second Dilemma: Whether to Allow Selected Low-Yeild Events: Inertial Confinement Fusion; Hydronuclear Experiments; Hydrodynamic Experiments. The Third Dilemma: Where to Record Any Agreed Definitions: Doing Nothing; The Virtues of Textuality; Resort to Traveaux Preparatoires; What Sort of Definition? Effect on Other Legal Instruments; Assessment of the Definitions Procedures. Conclusion: Policy Judgements; Policy Conundrums; Negotiability; Back to Lincoln.