the ABM Treaty and the strengthening of its régime. Compliance with the ABM Treaty was one of the most contentious issues at the talks. Until recently the sides' differences of approach on this issue were blocking the way towards the START treaty. At the meeting between the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the USSR and the United States Secretary of State in Wyoming last September, the Soviet side proposed a new approach that opened the way to completion of the START treaty. The Soviet Union expressed its preparedness to sign and ratify the START treaty even should there be no agreement on the ABM problem between the sides in time for the completion of the treaty, but the sides would have to continue to observe the ABM Treaty as signed in 1972. That approach was reaffirmed at the subsequent Moscow and Washington meetings of foreign ministers. We believe that there should be an understanding that the withdrawal of one of the parties from the ABM Treaty, or its violation, would give the other party the right to withdraw from the START treaty. At the same time, in order to preclude any further disputes on the meaning of compliance with the ABM Treaty as signed in 1972, the Soviet side proposed the negotiation of a common understanding of the boundary between permitted and prohibited activities under the ABM Treaty, and tabled a draft protocol to the ABM Treaty on this matter at the negotiations. The Soviet side also favours the elaboration at the talks of far-reaching confidence-building and predictability measures, which, in our view, should enhance the sides' confidence that obligations assumed by them under the ABM Treaty will be strictly fulfilled. We have submitted a draft agreement to this effect that 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing international relations and diplomacy, specifically the negotiations between the Soviet Union and the United States regarding the ABM Treaty and the START treaty. It highlights the importance of compliance and confidence-building measures in these agreements. Given the focus on international relations and treaties, it is likely that the text falls under a category related to international affairs.

**Category**
International trade, Science and technology