sentiment oraggressive intentionsJ itistheinevitable consequence oflegitimate fearduetosustained military pressure bywhichthebalance offorceshadbeen undone. Itisthisdangerous spiralofthreats, distrust andfearwhichwehave triedtoslowdownand,ifpossible, tobreak. Theproposals we_deattheConference onConfidence- andsecurity-Building Measures andDisaraament inEurOPeinStockholm wentinthatdirection. Theywere ambitiousinscope-whichwastomakedisarllaJlent possible byrebuilding confidence -butlIOdest andperfectly workable asfarastheirimplementation was concerned. Theydidnottendtoputobstacles inthepathofsecurity agreements but,onthecontrary, tofavoursmallstepstowards thelessening oftensions. Accordingly, Belgium attaches greatimportance totwo.elements oftherather glOOJllY picture ofEast-West relations, whichinthecourseofthelastmonthshavegiven risetosomeglimmerofhope. On12March1985theUnitedStatesandtheSovietUnionresumed inGeneva negotiations onstrategic arms, int~rmediate nuclear forces andspaceweapons. Belgium considers thesenegotiations asbeingofthegreatest importance. Itseeks assweeping areduction aspossible ofthenuJllberofexisting systems, withdue consideration, however, ofthebalance andstability oS:thestrategic relationship between thetwoparties. Newtechnologies, particularly inouterspace,cannotbe implemented unlesstheystrengthen that st~bilit:y. AlsoinGeneva, thePresident oftheUnitedStat:esofAmerica andtheGeneral Secretary oftheCOIIIIlunist PartyoftheSovietUnionwillmeetinNovember. Belgium, likeallothernations, exPeCts thissummitmeeting tocontribute toJSM/at A/40/PV.ll 77 (Mr.Tindemans, Belgium) breaking thebarrier ofdistrust, theilleffects ofwhichIdenounced earlier. It alsoexpectsittoleadtoaconstructive dialogue ofwhichthewholeworldandnot onlytheparticipants isingreatneed. ItisinGenevaaswellthatthenegotiations intheConference onDisarmament takeplace. Inthiscontext, andwithout wanting tominimize theimportance of otherpointsofdiscussion, Ishouldliketobroachthequestion ofchemical weapons. Wewerehorrified ~theuseofchemical agentsinrecentconflicts. we willneverforgetthatBelgium wasthefirstbattlefield wheresuchweapons were u~ed. OneoftheagentsiscalledYperiteafterthenameoftheflemish cityof Ypres, whichsince1916hasbecome falOOusthroughout theworld. Mycountry is, therefore, inaverygoodposition torequest: fullandunconditional compliance withtheGenevaProtocol of1925whichbanstheuseofchemical weapons~ the conclusion ofanewinternational convention whichtotally prohibits notjust solelytheusebutalsotheproduction, stockpiling andtransfer ofchemical weapons. In1984,adrafttothateffect wassubmitted attheConference on Disarmament bytheVice-President oftheunitedstates. Itisurgentthatthe conference reachanagreement onthispoint. Belgium, foritspart,hasalready decided toputstricter controls onthe exportof·keyprecursors·, thatistosay,thebasicelements inthecomposition oftoxicweapons. Buthere,aselsewhere, thecrucial problem underlying disar~~ent agreements remains thesetting upofanadequate verification system. Verification istheindispensable element ofanysecurity anddisarmament agreement. Hewhorejects verification bearstheresponsibility forfailure. Only openness andtransparency willallowustolessenthedistrust, torelaxthe atmosphere andtomoveontoamoresecureclimate.JSM/at A/40/PV.J.l 78 (Hr.Tindemans, Belgium) Inthea=e spi~iti !shauldlike Mo~9~al fQ~scrupulous compliance withthe agreements already concluded inthefieldofdisarmament andsecurity. Nothing fosters distrust morethanthesuspicion thatcommitments already undertaken are not,ornotfully,couplied with.Thisisnotaquestion ofaccusations or polemics. Letussimply acknowledge thatifexisting agreements arenot implemented ingoodfaith,itwillbecomemoredifficult toconclude newones. AttheendofJuly,inHelsinki, IsaidthatIfeltsomedisappointment with regardtothemannerinwhichcertain pr017isionsoftheFinalActhadbeen implemented. Frankness compels metorepeatthat,inmyview,thegreat expectations whichhadbeenplacedinthatActhavenotbeenfullymet.The outcome oftheOttawaConference onHumanRightsisbutanillustration ofthe pitfalls wefindinourpath. Ipersist, however, inbelieving thattheConference onsecurity andCo-operation inEuropeprocess maystillbeimproved and supplemented. Belgium, foritspart,willproveitselftobepersevering and determined withregardtothefurther development ofthisprocess. Wecannotallow ourselves tobepessimistic onthispoint. Ifonthemultilateral levelwedidnotspareanyeffortinfavourof disarmament andpeace,onthebilateral levelalsowehavetranslated our
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement by a high-ranking government official, likely the Prime Minister of Belgium, addressing the United Nations General Assembly. The speech focuses on disarmament, security, and international relations, with a specific emphasis on the Cold War era and the threat of chemical weapons. The tone is diplomatic and formal, with the speaker expressing hopes for a more peaceful and cooperative world.

**Category**
International relations, Disarmament and security