Conventional Arms Control: The Agenda and its Dangers

Abstract

The political long-term goal is clear: a peaceful transformation of the East—West conflict through marginalisation of its military stratum. Even if it has become a dirty word to some people on the western side of the Atlantic, I will not shy away from referring to this as a ‘second détente’; the difference from the first being that this time attention is focused not only on political and economic relations, but also on a true reduction of existing military threats in Europe. This could lead to real conflict transformation and détente being made irreversible.