Perhaps themostimportant question facingthis O~ganization duringitsfifth decadeiswhether weshallbeabletorecordpos!tivestepsthatwillnarrowthis crucial gap. Ibelieve wecan.Thelasttwoyearshaveseenaconsiderable increase in contacts between EastandWest. Iwelcome that.Sincebecoming Foreign secretary Ihavemadeapointofvisiting everyone ofthecountries inEastern Europeand getting toknowtheirleaders. Inthesamespirit wewelcomed Mr.Gorbachev'sAMB/14 A/40/PV.9 54-55 (SirGeoffrey Bowe, UnitedKingdom) important visittoBritainattheendoflastyear.Thefirstmeeting between President ReaganandHr.Gorbachev willtakeplacethisNovember. Thatwillbean important opportunity forseacching andsubstantive discussions whichcanlaythe foundation forgreater mutualconfidence between EastandWest.Itshould \ demonstrate thattheleaders of~~eworld1s largest Powersareserious intheir desiretoovercome thedifficalties between them. Butcontact aloneisnotenough. Thetruefoundations ofunderstanding cannot belaidinanatmosphere ofmistrust. Mr.Gorbachev hassaidRthereisnofatal inevitability ofconflict between theSovietUnionandtheUnitedStatesR•Inthat heechoesPresident Reagan1s beliefthatRtheSovietleaders havemuchtogainfrom joining theWestinmutualarmsreductions andexpanding co-operation-. TheSoviet Unionanditsleaders needhavenodoubtaboutthesincerity oftheWestern commitment. ThepeopleofBritain wouldlikenothing better thanareduction in tension andanincrease inco-operation. Thetaskforstatesmanship mustbeto transform coromonaspirations intothesubstance ofagreement. Theworldneedsthismosturgently inthefieldofarmscontrol. Wewarmly welcomed theresumption oftheGenevanegotiation onnuclear andspacearmsbetween theUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnion. Wesupport theiraimofpreventing anarms raceinspaceandterminatingitonearthe Ouroverriding objective mustbetoobtainsecurity atthelowestlevelof armaments. Wedonotbelieve thateithersideshouldstriveforsuperiority. The aimmustbemutualbalance, takingaccount ofcurrent developments. Theoutcome of theprocess shouldenhance andnotundermine deterrence. Thenegotiations mustbe onthebasisofcompliance withexisting obligations.IJSM/at A/40/PV.9 56 (SirGeoffrey Howe,UnitedKingdom) Thesetalkspresent aforumforhope,achanceforconstructive negotiations, andapo~ntial forrealandverifiable progress. ItisonlyatGenevathatpUblic deolaratians oanbe~ansformed intoagreements thatareseriousiy intended. Megaphone diplanacy leadsonlytoadialogue ofthedeaf.But agenuine wishto servethecauseofpeacewillmeetaswiftresponse fromourside. Recently Hr.Gorbachev toldtheworldthathiscountry truststheUnited StatesnomorethanthelattertruststheSovietUnion. Mrs.Thatcher mademuch thesamepointwhenshesaidthatneithersidelooksateachotherthrough rose-tinted spectacles. Verification provides oneoftheessential elements inany armscontrol agreement. Initself,itbreedstheconfidence essential tothe preservation ofaregimeofarmscontrol. Equally, verification requires ameasure ofconfidence onbothsidesinthegoodfaithoftheother. Ifthatobjective istobeachieveditisvitalthatcountries complywiththe treaties andcommitments whichtheyhaveundertaken. Particularly important are thosetreaties between theUnited·StatesandtheSovietUnionwhichgovern strategic relationships: thestrategic armslimitation agreements andtheTreaty ontheLimitation ofAnti-Ballistic Missile System. Theseagreements formthe foundation forthepresent structure ofmutualsecurity. Concern forinternational stability wasofcourseaprimemotivating force behindtheNon-Proliferation Treaty. Forthatreason, wewereparticularly pleased withthesuccessful outcome oftherecentReviewConference andthesubstantive finaldocument agreedbyconsensus. WesharefullytheConference's conviction thattheTreatyisessential tointernational peaceandsecurity. Wesupport unreservedly theirdetermination toenhanceitsimplementation andfurther strengthenitsauthority•JSM/at A/40/PV.9 57 (SirGeoffrey Bowe,United Kingd~) Thereisnodoubtthatthisresultreflects therenewed commitment ofthe international community tousetheNon-Proliferation Treatytoprevent thefurther spreadofnuclear weaPOns. WecalluPOnthosewhoremainoutside theTteaty = especially thosewithsignificant unsafeguarded nuclearfacilities -toaccedeto theTreatyassoonaspossible andsohelptoprotect theworldagainst the potentialhorrorsofnuclear war. Butequally wemustnotoverlook theiJl!POrtance oftheNon-Proliferation Treatyinpromoting thesafeuseofnuclear energyforpeaceful purposes, particularly inthedeveloping world. We~aveannounced ourintention todouble, between nowand1990,thefundswecontribute todeveloping countries partytothe Treatythrough thetechnical assistance projects administered bytheInternational
**Analysis**
This text appears to be a speech or statement by a high-ranking official, likely the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, discussing international relations, diplomacy, and arms control. The text focuses on the relationship between East and West, specifically the Soviet Union and the United States, and the need for cooperation and mutual understanding. The speaker emphasizes the importance of verification, treaties, and international agreements to promote peace and security.

**Category**
International relations, Science and technology