ABSTRACT
In the academic literature and even more among political decision makers, there is a quasi-consensus that nuclear proliferation is one of the biggest threats to international peace and security. The major instrument to manage nuclear proliferation is the nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament regime, which corresponds to the whole array of formal and informal institutions, rules and norms to contain the danger of nuclear weapons. There is no automatic and definite relationship between nuclear disarmament and nuclear non-proliferation. In theory, the link between nuclear proliferation and nuclear disarmament can be viewed from two angles: the influence of nuclear proliferation on nuclear disarmament, and vice versa, the influence of nuclear disarmament on nuclear proliferation. The chapter suggests that the debate between the disarmament optimists and pessimists is not yet at its apex. While the effect of nuclear proliferation on nuclear disarmament is straightforward, the impact of nuclear disarmament on the further spread of nuclear weapons is more controversial.
