BOOK
REVIEW
1. Title - Nuclear Weapons and South Asian Security
2. Author - Carnegie
3. Pages - 134
4. Price - Rs 100
5. Published by - Carnegie
Endowment for International Peace
6. The issue of
nuclear proliferation has been bothering the more sensitive minds both in the
East and the West ever since atomic bombs were dropped on the two Japanese
cities. Though one may add that the countries which possess the nuclear weapons
and which do not, see the problem in different perspectives. To study the
problem of nuclear proliferation in the context of South Asian Security, a task
force was formed in July 1986. Present study is a report of this study which
contains certain conclusions. It deals with such aspects of the problem as the
chances of force escalation in the region, security of South - Asian, dynamics of proliferation and nuclear
future for the region. Then the report recommends certain actions that would
make the acquisition of nuclear weapons a more difficult choice for non nuclear
states.
7. This report
concentrates on studying the problem of nuclear proliferation in South Asia. In
the perspective of many scholars in the region the problem can hardly be
studied meaningfully by regionalizing it. Ours is a Bipolar world. The security
perceptions of the countries of the region are directly or indirectly effected
by the policies of the superpower and other powers in the vicinity. So study of
the problem of nuclear proliferation in a regional context may not provide a
clear picture.
8. This premise
that non proliferation can be studied in the regional context has led the Task
Force to conclude that China has contributed to the risk of proliferation by
posing a nuclear threat to India and by encouraging Pakistan in acquiring
nuclear arms. This may be so but the problem does not end here. The problem
will have to be seen in the global context. Threat perceived by China from
Russia and nuclear threat posed to Russia by USA, and Indian threat to Pakistan
will have to be taken into account to understand the causes and motives of the
countries of South Asia exercising the nuclear option.
9. In this context
one may also point at the long tether given to Israel for use of force in
dealing with its neighbors which has sent chilling signals to many countries in
the Gulf and West Asia. The problem of Israeli acquisition of nuclear weapon
has been given only perfunctory treatment in the report. Israeli role and its
strong arm policies do not augur very well for creation of a conducive
atmosphere for nuclear non proliferation anywhere in the world, more so in the
countries which are directly or indirectly threatened by it. The Israeli
nuclear capability and acquisition of
nuclear powers, Western powers in particular, have great effect on the thinking
of many smaller states. This problem needs to be studied in greater detail than
contained in the present report.
10. The problem of nuclear proliferation has
also to be seen in the context of threat perceived by a country. Of the many
options open to different states acquisition of nuclear weapons is probably the
last that a smaller power would resort to. It would be a difficult choice and
smaller countries are not likely to make this choice unless they are left with no other. The
failure of the big powers and regional powers in providing effective safeguards
to non-nuclear states would keep these states under constant pressure to go
nuclear. Confidence building measures will have to be pursued vigorously to
persuade other states from going nuclear. This aspect holds great importance
for the common people living in those countries which do no have nuclear
weapons and do not even desire to possess them. One would have liked to read
more about it. The report is valuable as it reflects latest western thinking on
the subject of proliferation.
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