Disarmament,Development,Dual-purpose Technologies and the Like-minded Countries

Abstract

Many important fields of technology serve a dual purpose: they have significant military and peaceful applications. This article argues that a stronger focus on dual-purpose technologies might serve to simultaneously promote the causes of disarmament and development. Six areas of dual-purpose technology are examined. It is found that the international regulation of these areas is either imperfect or non-existent. The author suggests that the debate should be taken up by the 'like-minded' countries, particularly The Netherlands and the Scandinavian states. They have credibility in the eyes of the Third World, they are active in the disarmament field, and they may need new issues to strengthen their internal cooperation.