ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the possibilities for smaller states to play a role in arms control. It examines in particular specific actions smaller states could take in the multilateral arms control negotiating process. Verification is the field which offers the most possibilities for smaller states to participate in the arms control process. As verification has become an increasingly important and integral part of arms control the expectations of smaller states to play a useful role either in multilateral negotiations or as third parties in the bilateral arms control agenda have grown. In general, verification has two dimensions: technical means and methods of verification and compliance; and political, military and legal aspects of verification and compliance processes. Verification requires highly sophisticated and complex devices and techniques; it encompasses monitoring, information-processing, analysis, identification and evaluation. For smaller states, the lack of their own national technical means is a great obstacle to taking part in verification procedures.
