be advanced, by a political decision, into their final phase, which will be next year's session. It is with this in mind that I would now like rapidly to go through the main points on which a decision is required. First, nothing is more important than verification, and inspection on request determines the system as a whole; we are all agreed on that. The debate is now reduced to the essentials and it is time to accept the full consequences of our choices. We have to decide between two things. Either inspection under article IX, the keystone of the system, is triggered without any precondition, and that is certainly the obvious meaning of the very general phrase "at any time and anywhere" which requires no qualification of any kind; the inspection then proceeds according to the mandate, with recourse, as necessary, to the formula of controlled access, which enables full account to be taken of the security interests of the inspected State. At any rate the parties are assured of obtaining the results for which inspections are intended, that is the collection, first and foremost of facts. Or inspection is subject to a precondition, a priori according to a particular general criterion to be established independently of the conditions on the spot, and the inspection changes nature, even before it has begun, to become an exchange of arguments carried out either in capital cities or at the headquarters of the Organization or at the point of entry to the country inspected or around a facility perimeter - in short, negotiation carried out in difficult circumstances, and not a procedure of fact-finding. In our view, it is clear that the latter approach can only multiply the obstacles and empty of its substance the raison d'etre of the procedure under 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing a political decision related to international relations, specifically regarding the verification and inspection of a system or process. The language used suggests a focus on international agreements, organizations, and the balance of security interests between states. The tone is formal and diplomatic, indicating that the topic is likely related to international cooperation or diplomacy.

**Category**
International relations, Diplomacy