Disarmament is a multidimensional process and the danger of nuclear war is but one side of the coin. Any armed conflict could lead to a nuclear escalation. But even if we avoid the use of nuclear weapons in a conflict, the loss of human life which that conflict might entail could also be caused by conventional weapons, particularly in view of the destructive capacity these weapons have now achieved, and not forgetting those who fell on the field of battle during the First and Second World Wars. And here I would refer to something that was said this morning by the representative of China, namely, that a total of 20 million persons had died in conventional wars since the Second world war. The disequilibrium which exists in the field of conventional weapons is one of the important reasons why a number of Powers have acquired nuclear weapons, either in self-defence or in order to achieve supremacy. Efforts to achieve equilibrium in conventional weapons would therefore help to mitigate the'effect of the nuclear-arms race. Greece is firmly committed to its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations to refrain from the threat or use of force and, therefore, subscribes to the principle that no effort should be spared to reduce the current level of conventional forces and to reach an equilibrium at the lowest possible level, while at the same time preserving the undiminished security of all States. The present JSM/emv A/C.l/40/PV.9 28 (Mr. Stephanou, Greece) concentration of these arms, which still entails an increased risk of armed conflict, continues to consume enormous human and material resources and is a factor which exacerbates ~onsiderably the present economic crisis of which all the peoples of the earth are victim. While welcoming the fact that the close link between disarmament and the 
**Analysis**
The text primarily focuses on the theme of disarmament and its impact on international security, human life, and the economy. It highlights the dangers of armed conflicts, both conventional and nuclear, and emphasizes the need to reduce the level of conventional forces to achieve equilibrium and mitigate the effects of the nuclear arms race. The text also touches on the economic crisis and the resources consumed by the concentration of arms.

**Category**
International relations, Humanitarian aid and relief