Global regimes for arms control

Abstract

At the end of a century which has seen the development and use of weapons capable of increasingly massive destruction, on a scale never before seen, it is encouraging to find so much effort being devoted to arms control. This review outlines the histories of the major arms control treaties and conventions and describes the progress in ongoing discussions that can be expected over the next few years. It concludes with a paradox: that the existing agreements relate to weapons that no one uses, whereas the weapons that are in daily use across the globe remain largely untouched by regulation.