Accidental Nuclear War

Abstract

The 18th Pugwash Workshop on Nuclear Forces was held in Pugwash, Nova Scotia on 18–20 July 1989. Its purpose was to understand better the factors that could contribute to accidental nuclear war, and in particular to suggest what could realistically be done to ameliorate the risks in the near or foreseeable future. Participants comprised 30 specialists from 10 countries, drawn from various disciplines and professional backgrounds in order to provide a multi-dimensional and reasonably comprehensive approach to this problem. The following account draws upon and attempts to faithfully reflect material in working papers prepared by participants and the discussions. The accuracy of this report is the responsibility of the rapporteurs alone; it has not been reviewed by other participants and would not necessarily be fully endorsed by them. Given the range of issues covered in the Workshop and the richness of the papers and discussion, the rapporteurs have found it necessary to prepare a longer, more detailed report than is customary for Pugwash workshops.