1988

April 14
The Danish parliament passes a resolution instructing the government to inform visiting warships that nuclear weapons are banned from Danish territory in peacetime.

May 31
The U.S. and USSR sign the Agreement on Notification of Missile Launches. The Agreement stipulates that 24-hour advance notice is required before launching an ICBM or SLBM.

May 31-June 25
The Third UN Special Session on Disarmament takes place.

June 1
The INF Treaty enters into force. [see December 8, 1987]

July 3
U.S.S. Vincennes mistakenly shoots down Iran Air Flight 655 in Persian Gulf, killing all 290 passengers and crew members aboard. U.S. does not apologize to Iran, nor reprimand officers involved.

August 15
Fourteen Missouri Peace Planting activists simultaneously enter 10 different ICBM launch sites in Missouri and plant sunflowers at the missile silos.

September 3
Brazil adopts a new constitution which states, "any nuclear activities within the national territory will be permitted only if for peaceful purposes and if approved by the National Congress."

September 21
The Joint Protocol Relating to the Application of the Vienna Convention and the Paris Convention, which would link the Convention on Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage and the Convention on Third Party Liability in the Field of Nuclear Energy, is adopted. It is not yet in force.

December 31
Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi sign an agreement not to attack each other's nuclear installations.