SUPERPOWER ARMS CONTROL TALKS: AN ASSESSMENT

This comprehensive assessment examines the state of superpower arms control negotiations during the early 1980s, analyzing the strategic calculations, political dynamics, and technical challenges that characterized these crucial diplomatic efforts. The article explores the evolution of arms control talks from the SALT agreements through the START negotiations and assesses the impact of changing political leadership and strategic doctrines. The research investigates the positions of both superpowers on key issues including strategic nuclear weapons, intermediate-range forces, and confidence-building measures. The study examines the technical complexities of verification, counting rules, and force limitations that complicated arms control negotiations. The article assesses the impact of external factors including alliance politics, domestic constituencies, and third country concerns on superpower arms control efforts. The research also evaluates the prospects for meaningful arms control agreements in the context of renewed Cold War tensions and identifies potential pathways for breaking negotiation deadlocks.

Superpower arms control negotiations represented one of the most complex and consequential diplomatic processes of the Cold War, with this article providing a comprehensive assessment of their status and prospects during the early 1980s. The research begins by examining the historical evolution of superpower arms control, tracing the development from early limited agreements through the SALT process to the more ambitious START negotiations. The analysis explores the strategic calculations underlying superpower positions, examining how nuclear doctrine, force modernization plans, and perceived vulnerabilities influenced negotiation stances. The article investigates the technical dimensions of arms control, analyzing how verification challenges, counting rules for different weapon systems, and definitional issues complicated agreement possibilities. The study examines the political context of arms control negotiations, assessing how domestic politics in both superpowers, alliance relationships, and broader international developments affected negotiation dynamics. The research evaluates specific negotiation forums including the Strategic Arms Reduction Talks (START), Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) negotiations, and Mutual and Balanced Force Reduction (MBFR) talks in Europe. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article analyzes both the obstacles to and opportunities for meaningful arms control agreements and identifies potential compromise formulas that could advance superpower security while reducing nuclear risks. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex interplay of strategy, technology, and diplomacy in nuclear arms control and contribute to understanding how great power competition can be managed through negotiated frameworks.