^#smrgSAHAF Arms Control And East - West Relations -

Many accepted ideas about arms control ar questioned in this book. It opens with an examination of the causes of conflict and tension and the strategies employed for keeping these under control. It goes on to dispute the concept that a balance of power helps to preserve peace -the assumption that this in fact should be the aim of the arms control negotiations is itself challenged. The discussion also analyses how and why the Great powers have sought to distance themselves from local conflicts, arguing that arms control agreements should reinforce this trend.

A comparison is made of Soviet, Third World and Western attitudes towards arms control with interesting results. It is claimed that the Soviets take a much more consistent and strategic attitude towards arms negotiations than the Western countries and that this approach is closely related to their own views of their strengths and weaknesses. The divisive effects which a deterioration in East-West relations has on Western public opinion is examined in full. The final part of the book looks at the problems of verification and particularly at the controversy surrounding chemical and biological warfare. In conclusion, a number of politico-military agreements between potential enemies which have been succesful in the past are considered, and an outline is made of the sort of negotiations which would be most effective at improving East-West relations in the future. (Şömizden)