Nuclear explosions are the most visible manifestation of the arms race, and the conclusion of a multilateral treaty that will meaningfully restrict nuclear testing has for three decades been a priority. While some see testing as essential for the development of nuclear weapons and for upholding nuclear deterrence postures, others are acutely concerned about the possible health hazards of nuclear tests. Proponents of a comprehensive test ban, or a very-low-threshold test ban, are convinced that further test limitations are the first, indispensable steps that must be taken to halt and reverse the nuclear rivalry among the great powers and to prevent the spread of nuclear wapons to more countries. The Stockholm International Peace Researach Institute (SIPRI) and the Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security (CIIPS) have jointly conducted a thorough study of the complex technical and political issues involved in a possible cessation or limitation of nuclear tests. This SIPRI-CIIPS publication contains papers by leading physicists, nuclear weapon designers, seismologists, international lawyers, strategic analysts, political scientists, and former government advisers and arms control negotiators. The editors' concise summary of all the issues and viewpoints is presented in the first part of the book, which also contains their own conclusions about the feasibility of achieving a meaningful test limitation that is adequately verifiable by existing or proposed technical means.

Jozef Goldblat's profile page

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Jozef Goldblat is a Senior Researcher at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. David Cox is the Director of Research at the Canadian Institute for International Peace and Security.

'the best technical survey of the subject currently available in book form ... the coverage, clarity and analytical level of the book is impressive Owen Greene, University of Bedford, International Affairs

'Goldblat and Cox ... have compiled an encyclopedically valuable survey of the technical and strategic arguments. It is advocacy by fact, more persuasive than any tract.' Ottawa Citizen

' for anyone wishing to keep up with the debate and follow the developments in the step-by-step negotiations between the Superpowers, this book is essential reading. Royal United Services Institute Journal

'they provide perhaps the best technical survey of the subject currently available in book form ... the coverage, clarity and analytical level of the book is impressive' Owen Greene, University of Bradford, International Affairs