1. The @vernment of Italy is deeply comnitted to the goal of preventing war, in particular a nuclear rdar or any kind of conflict which could escalate to the nuclear level. Italy has constantly followed a policy aimed at promoting, on the one hand, equitable and verifiable agreements on substantial reducEions of nuclear rrreapons and at preventing on the other hand, the spread of such weapons and the destabilizing implications of such a developmenE. The pursuit of these two goals has been a constant feature of Ehe policies of successive Italian Governments. The negative vote cast. by Italy on General Assembly resolutLon 39/L48 P does noE reflect a disagreement with the general purpose of prevenEinE war, parEicularly nuclear war. On the contrary, that negative vote was intended to mark the disappointment of the Italian C;overnment with the shortcomings of both the content of the said resolution and the approach followed by the Assembly in considering a problem of such a vital interest for the survival of mankind. 2. Italy is located in Europ€r €t continent in which there is the greatest concentration of conventional forces in the world and where Ehe serious imbalance in t.hose forces to the advantage of t,he warsaw Pact Ehat has existed for decades has not so far been corrected through disarmament negotiations. The Government of Italy has a vivid memory of the destruction brought about by the last conflicE in all the conEinent and cannot therefore accept nor will it accept in the fuLure the perspective of a new and even more destructive conventional war fought on European soil. The Government of Italy believes lhat its own security interests and the preservation of the national independence and territorial inEegrity of its country have been well served over the past decades by the strategy of deterrence and
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a statement from the Italian government on its stance on nuclear disarmament and the prevention of war. It highlights Italy's commitment to preventing war, particularly nuclear war, and expresses its concerns about the imbalance of conventional forces in Europe. The text also mentions the importance of deterrence in ensuring the country's security and independence.

**Category**
International relations, Foreign policy