provides for an array of such measures. It should be noted that despite a certain community of views on some predictability measures, the sides still have major differences of a conceptual nature. In connection with the fact that today reference was made by Ambassador D. Smith to the American draft agreement "on measures to facilitate a co-operative transition to the deployment of future strategic ballistic missile defences", I should like to state the following. In our view the purpose of this draft in essence is to replace the ABM Treaty and to give the United States the opportunity to conduct the development and testing, under the SDI programme, of systems and components prohibited under the ABM Treaty. The draft also gives the United States the right to take a decision at any time to deploy large-scale ABM systems, including in space. The American side asserts that the deployment of such large-scale ABM systems will lead to strategic stability. We cannot go along with that. The creation and deployment of such ABM systems and the placing of weapons in outer space can lead only to the undermining of strategic stability and a reduction in the level of security, because it will inevitably lead to competition in the field of both strategic defensive arms and strategic offensive weapons - in other words, an arms race on a new and even more dangerous level. This will CD/PV.553 15 (Mr. Nazarkin. USSR) inevitably also lead to the destruction of fundamental international agreements in the area of arms control. Stability and security in our time can only be reciprocal, and are achieved not by the continuation of the arms race but rather through the consistent reduction of strategic offensive weapons together with strict limitations on strategic defensive systems, a ban on the placing of arms in outer space and the expansion of confidence-building and predictability measures.
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a diplomatic statement discussing the implications of a proposed agreement on strategic ballistic missile defenses. It references specific treaties and agreements, such as the ABM Treaty, and highlights the concerns of the speaker regarding the potential consequences of certain measures. The language used is formal and technical, suggesting a discussion of complex issues related to international relations and security.

**Category**
International trade, Science and technology