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Summary
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The explosion
at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl in April 1986 has severe
repercussions, not only in terms of human suffering and catastrophic
environmental damage but also in political terms. It starkly illustrates
the potential scale of threats to mankind from beyond national borders,
and beyond the control of individual countries or even continents.
The provision of help from the West seems to point to the international
cooperation that could lie ahead.
Although
the outcome of a meeting between President Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev
in Reykjavik in October 1986 is disappointing, a great deal of fruitful
work is subsequently done by both sides in preparing proposals.
The breakthrough comes in December 1987 when the two leaders, meeting
in Washington, sign the INF Treaty.
For the
first time, the United States and the Soviet Union agree to eliminate
an entire category of nuclear weapons - all land-based intermediate
and shorter range missiles with a range of 500 - 5,500 kilometres.
Some 670 deployed Soviet missiles, including 405 SS-20s, each capable
of carrying three nuclear warheads, will be destroyed, together
with about 440 deployed US missiles. Furthermore, the Soviet Union
accepts the most comprehensive verification programme, including
on-site inspections, ever agreed by the superpowers.
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Portugal and Spain become members of the European Economic Community
(EEC).
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In a referendum organised by Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez, Spanish
voters support the continued membership of Spain in the Atlantic
Alliance without participation in NATOs integrated military structure.
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In response to terrorist attacks attributed to Libya, United States
forces attack targets in Tripoli and Benghazi.
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CSCE Experts Meeting on Human Contacts, Berne.
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Nuclear accident at the Chernobyl power station in the Soviet Union.
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Foreign Ministers issue a Statement on the Ministerial meeting
of the North Atlantic Council in Halifax, Canada, calling on the
Soviet Union to join them in taking bold new steps to promote
peace, security and a productive East-West dialogue. Ministers establish
a High-Level Task Force on Conventional Arms Control.
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information:
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End of Stockholm Conference on Confidence and Security Building
Measures and Disarmament in Europe (CDE). Concluding document (dated
19 September) includes mandatory measures for notification, observation
and on-site inspection of military manoeuvres of participating countries.
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At a special session of the North Atlantic Council attended by
Foreign and Defence Ministers in Brussels, US Secretary of State
Schultz briefs the Council on the negative outcome of the Reykjavik
Summit 11-13 October.
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information:
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Ministerial meeting of NATOs Nuclear Planning Group in Gleneagles,
Scotland. Defence Ministers express support for President Reagans
arms control programme.
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information:
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The third CSCE Follow-up Conference opens in Vienna.
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Professor Karl Kaiser (Federal Republic of Germany) receives the
third Atlantic Award for services to the Alliance.
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NATO Foreign Ministers issue the Brussels Declaration on Conventional
Arms Control calling for negotiations on conventional stability,
aimed at eliminating existing disparities from the Atlantic to the
Urals and establishing conventional stability at lower levels; and
on further confidence and security building measures.
Additional
information:
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