ABSTRACT
The subject which I have been asked to discuss is the impact which a nonproliferation treaty would have on the exploitation of atomic energy for peaceful purposes.
At the outset, I should make it plain that I propose to abide by Lord Chalfont’s distinction between the terms proliferation and dissemination: proliferation essentially means that you make ‘it’ yourself, whatever ‘it’ may be, while dissemination refers to what you get from someone else. Most people believe that when it comes to nuclear weapons, both proliferation and
dissemination are bad for mankind, although, as we all sadly know, they as yet cannot agree about the way to stop the process. But equally they are agreed that it is right to encourage the proliferation and dissemination of nuclear technology because of its promise in economic fields.
