meetings on these items. This is another step forward in the month of March. I would like to express my appreciation for your untiring efforts in this regard, as well as for the constructive co-operation of the Group of 21. I would like to stress that we have listened with great interest and understanding to the important statements made by the Ambassador of Peru and the delegation of Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 21. Item 2, "Cessation of the nuclear arms race and nuclear disarmament", and item 3, "Prevention of nuclear war, including all related matters", directly concern important questions which have a bearing on international peace and security. They have naturally aroused the widespread concern of the international community. For this reason they are also two of the most important items on the agenda of this Conference. In recent years SSODs, the Conference of Non-Aligned Countries and the General Assembly have all adopted CD/PV.547 24 (Mr. Hou, China ) important documents and resolutions on these items, calling on the CD to submit them to serious consideration and negotiation. Consequently, the Conference on Disarmament should carry out in-depth discussions of these items in a more formal and constructive way. However, for reasons known to all, the CD has so far been unable to perform this task. We cannot but express our regret in this regard. The Chinese delegation has all along attached great importance to these two items, and has actively participated in discussions. We support the principled position of the Group of 21 on the establishment of ad hoc committees on these items. We have already set out our clear-cut principled stand in a comprehensive and systematic way, and have made a constructive proposal, and we have also put forward a working paper. On 27 February Chinese Foreign Minister Qian Qichen, in his important 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a diplomatic speech or statement, discussing international relations, disarmament, and nuclear issues. The language used is formal and technical, indicating a high-level discussion or negotiation. The focus on international peace and security, disarmament, and the involvement of various organizations and countries also suggest a category related to international relations.

**Category**
International relations