FRANCE AND THE UNITED KINGDOM: FACTORS INFLUENCING POSITIONS ON MULTILATERAL NUCLEAR ARMS CONTROL
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Authors
Morrow, Michael J.
Subjects
nuclear
arms control
France
United Kingdom
Russia
proliferation
negotiations
missiles
arms control
France
United Kingdom
Russia
proliferation
negotiations
missiles
Advisors
Larsen, Jeffrey A.
Clunan, Anne L.
Date of Issue
2022-03
Date
Publisher
Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
Following the demise of several critical U.S.-Russian bilateral treaties, the world now faces the most consequential nuclear arms-control crisis in decades. If the desired end goal is to move toward global disarmament, France and the U.K. have several economic, political, and military avenues they could pursue. This thesis analyzes British and French positions on nuclear arms-control and seeks to identify what has precluded them from entering into meaningful discussions. This thesis considers nuclear policies, statistics, official records, publications, and previous case studies on third-party arms control. At this time, there is little optimism for France and the U.K. to have a significant impact on multilateral arms-control negotiations. There are many geopolitical, economic, and security dilemmas that are currently hindering a breakthrough in negotiations, and a disparity in the number of nuclear weapons possessed between the U.S. and Russia and all other nuclear weapons states is an impasse that hinders European nuclear weapon states. Additionally, there is a strong sense of nuclear nationalism inherent to both nations that precludes them from initiating disarmament measures. Achieving meaningful multilateral arms control must begin with small, mutually reinforcing, and incremental measures. Promoting a multilateral forum to increase transparency and build confidence would set the stage for more ambitious and meaningful multilateral measures in the future.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
Department
National Security Affairs (NSA)
Organization
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NPS Report Number
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Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.