Germany s position on nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear materials (1990s - early 2000s)

In the post-bipolar epoch issues of multilateral disarmament diplomacy have become a priority. These included measures to strengthen nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Germany's position in the nonproliferation policy is determined by several conditions, especially the nonnuclear status of the state. However, Germany has taken a privileged international position than other countries that did not belong to the ''nuclear club'', because from the moment of union it acted as a central element of European security policy. It tried to take over the task of maintaining the balance of power between the nuclear and nonnu-clear states. Freedom of action of Germany's nuclear policy has been limited. But under favorable circumstances, it got a chance to play the role of support of the nuclear nonproliferation regime. The activity of Germany contributed to the signing of the Declaration of the Moscow Summit of Heads of State and Government of the G-7 and Russia on nuclear security issues. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany K. Kinkel (FDP) was one of the first to put his signature under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. The official Bonn was not afraid in a soft but strong and open form to criticize the US refusal to ratify the treaty. Serious threat to Germany was represented by the illegal trade of nuclear materials. The federal government considered it necessary to cut off the channels of leakage of hazardous materials. This forced to intensify cooperation with the members of the ''nuclear club'', one of which was the Russian Federation. The integration in the fight against illicit trafficking of nuclear materials was carried out through cooperation between the intelligence agencies of the two countries, as well as cooperation between German and Russian scientists who have studied the confiscated dangerous materials. The obvious problem is the safe storage of nuclear weapons removed from combat duty. Disintegration processes that engulfed the post-soviet space, were a serious obstacle to its solution. This led to a deepening of scientific and technical relations of Germany and Russia in the nuclear field. Concern ''Siemens'' has opened its own plant for the production of fuel rods for nuclear reactors in Russia. An important area of German-Russian cooperation was the implementation of the Convention on the prohibition of the development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons and their destruction. Since 1992 German companies have been supplying test equipment and laboratory equipment for the facility in Gorny. Germany also allocated funds for the destruction of chemical weapons. In general, the action of Germany in the field of nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and nuclear materials was measured, which emphasized realism of thinking and pragmatism of actions of German politicians.

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