earliest date of the negotiations on a chemical-weapons ban. On this point there seems to be wide agreement among us, although we should be aware that by expecting to foresee in advance all the possible details and scenarios we run the risk of delaying negotiations for a number of years to come. In Italy, we are convinced that the level of technical sophistication already achieved in the negotiations is more than sufficiently elaborated to allow for the concrete and final expression of political will, when the parties usually find the necessary boldness to come to a conclusion. However, we do not feel disheartened by the insufficiency of results so far achieved in the current advanced stage of negotiations. We have noted the Soviet-American agreements, particularly important for their commitments on the cessation of the production of chemical weapons, probably to be implemented even before the completion of the multilateral negotiations. A certain amount of exploratory activity has also been undertaken in this forum on some of the fundamental elements of the convention, and we are confident that such efforts have not been in vain. It is, however, difficult to ignore that negotiations are at a standstill on almost all the most sensitive issues at stake. In the field of verification we register differing views on how to strike the appropriate balance between reliability of the system and concerns aimed at protecting, during its implementation, fundamental interests in terms of national security. Whenever ambitious and innovating goals are set forth, it would seem almost inevitable that each one should be ready to pay a certain price. All the more so, if we were to take into account the various experiments carried out by different countries that have produced encouraging results as to the possibility of combining the two concerns. We ourselves had 
**Analysis**
The text discusses the negotiations on a chemical-weapons ban, highlighting the challenges and progress made so far. It mentions the need to balance reliability and national security concerns in the verification process. The tone is diplomatic and focused on international relations. These factors suggest that the text is related to international affairs, potentially in the context of disarmament and arms control.

**Category**
International trade, Science and technology