military expenditures, whichconstituted aheavyburdenfortheeconomies of allnations andhadextremely harmful conseauences withregardto international peaceandsecurity. Itwasreaffirmed thatitwaspossible to achieve continued andsystematic reductions inmilitary expenditures without prejudice totherightofallStatestoundiminished security, self-defence andsovereignty. "6.Delegations reiterated thatagradual reduction ofmilitary budgets ona mutually agreedbasis,forexample, inabsolute figures orintermsof percentage points, particularly bynuclear-weapon Statesandothermilitarily significant States, wouldbeameasure thatwouldcontribute tocurbing the armsraceandwouldincrease thepossibilities ofreallocation ofresources nowbeingusedformilitary purposes totheeconomic andsocialdevelopment of allnations, particularly forthebenefit ofthedeveloping countries. They alsoreiterated thatthebasisforimplementing thatmeasure wouldhavetobe agreeduponbyallpartic:ipating Statesandwouldrequire waysandmeansof implementation acceptable toallofthem,takingintoaccount theproblems involved inassessing therelative significance ofreductions amongdifferent Statesandwithdueregardtotheproposals ofStatesonallaspects ofthe reduction ofmilitary budgets. Delegations alsostatedthat,pending the conclusion ofagreements onthereduction ofmilitary expenditures, all States, particularly themostheavily armedStates, shouldexercise self-restraint insuchexpenditures. "7.Continuing itssUbstantive consideration oftheworking paper,the Working Groupbroadened theareaofagreement onmanyprinciples whichwere accepted onaprovisional basisandsUbject toanagreement onthewholeset ofprinciples. Atthesametimetherewerestillimportant divergences of viewsconcerning otherproposed principles andideas. "8.Somedelegations stressed theprimary responsibility vestedinthe nuclear-weapon Statesandothermilitarily significant Statestobethefirst toreducetheirmilitary budgets. Theviewwasalsoheldthatthefreezing andreduction ofmilitary budgets shouldbeginwiththosenuclear-weapon Stateswiththelargest military arsenals andthebiggest military expenditures, tobefollowed hyothernuclear Statesandothermilitarily significant States. Somedelegations underlined theimportance ofaproposal whichwasaddressed inMarch1984bytheStatesparties totheWarsawTreaty totheStatesmembers oftheNorthAtlantic TreatyOrganization concerning negotiations onthenon-increase andthereduction ofmilitary expenditures (A/CN.lO/64). -13- r"9.Somedelegations stressed thatanagreed andbalanced reduction of military expenditures wouldbepossible onlyifitwasbasedontheprinciples oftransparency andcomparability, whichcouldbestbeachieved through regular availability ofmeaningful andreliable data.Theyheldtheviewthat agreedmethods formeasuring andcomparing military expenditures constituted anessential reauirement formeaningful negotiations onbalanced reductions of military budgets. Thesamedelegations alsoheldtheviewthatanimportant firststeptothatendwasthesystematic useofthestandardized international reporting instrument established inpursuance ofGeneral Assembly resolution 35/142B,presenting national expenditure datainaformat suitable forinternational comparison. Theystressed theneedforthe reporting instrument tobeusedbyanincreasing numberofStates from different geographic regions andrepresenting different budgeting systems. Theyexpressed theirdisappointment thatsomedelegations hadrejected a proposal todiscuss, inSUbstance, theprinciples ofcomparability, transparency andinternational verification, withaviewtoestablishing that thoseprinciples couldbeimplemented without reauiring unnecessarily intrusive measures andwithout affecting therightofeveryStateto undiminished security. "10.Otherdelegations stressed thattheagreements concerning thereduction ofmilitary expenditures, asmeasures thatwouldcontribute tothecurbing of thearmsrace,should beimplemented insuchawayastogiveallparticipants totheagreements thecertainty thattheywouldbecomplied with. Those delegations heldtheviewthattheconcept ofsuchcertainty constituted the widestandmostuniversally acceptable principle whichcouldprovide thebasis oftheoverall agreement onprinciples intheareaoffreezing andreducing
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the reduction of military expenditures and its potential impact on international peace and security, as well as the economy. The delegates are discussing the need for transparency, comparability, and verification in reducing military budgets, and the importance of giving all participating states the certainty that they will be complied with. This suggests that the category could be related to economic development, international relations, or disarmament.

**Category**
Economic development, International trade