who are deriving considerable profits from this, do not want an end to nuclear testing. They are opposing a moratorium because they do not want the nuclear-weapon assembly lines to come to a stop. They cling to vain illusions of somehow attaining military supremacy. At the same time, they are spreading nonsense about the Soviet Union's policy, including the moratorium we have declared on nuclear explosions. On our part, the step was sincere and open. We opted for a moratorium because we are deeply convinced that practical measures must be taken to halt the accumulation and the further improvement of nuclear weapons. We were not in any way striving to put the American administration in a difficult position. The United States President was informed in advance of our action by a letter in which we suggested to the Americans that they should act in the same way. I should have liked the American leadership to respond positively to that appeal. The public statements by officials in Washington concerning the moratorium give the impression that the main concern there now is, unfortunately, to find the smartest way of evading such a response. It would be no mistake to say that the world expects a different attitude. Question : President Reagan said recently that the United States cannot place a moratorium on nuclear testing because it needs to complete its nuclear programme. He claimed in doing so that the Soviet Union had completed an intensive series of nuclear explosions and could afford a breathing space. Is that true? Answer: The Soviet leadership reviewed this issue carefully and comprehensively before taking its decision on the unilateral halting of nuclear explosions. It was not at all easy for us to take the step we did. To introduce a 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a diplomatic statement discussing the issue of nuclear testing and the moratorium declared by the Soviet Union. The language used is formal and political, suggesting that the text is a transcript of a press conference or a statement from a government official. The content focuses on international relations, specifically the relationship between the Soviet Union and the United States, and the implications of nuclear testing on global security.

**Category**
International relations, Science and technology