Controlling the Instruments of War: The Role of the UN in Disarmament

The focus of this essay is the role the United Nations may be able to play in the year ahead in disarmament and arms control. It is argued that so far the UN, in spite of many attempts made, has played only a peripheral role. The ambiguity of its role in disarmament is due to the deferent perceptions that states maintain about is role in the global disarmament machinery. The authors suggest that there should be an agreement on a comprehensive world structure for negotiating disarmament wherein the UN may play a role approved by the entire world community.