remove one of the obstacles in the way of completing the verification system, but would also provide a strong stimulus for tackling the other yet unresolved issues of the convention. In spring, the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Ambassador Hyltenius, in a bold and commendable effort to bring the discussions on the issue to a successful conclusion - discussions which have been intensively pursued now for more than three years - put forward a new draft of article IX. This proposal by Ambassador Hyltenius underwent two revisions, which resulted in a considerable improvement of the text. Recently, however, new amendments to the text have been presented which could be understood to amount to changing the basic characteristics of the challenge inspection regime. These very characteristics have been discussed over a number of years now and clearly a consensus had seemed to emerge on them. Therefore, it will be our task to ensure that ways are found to come back to this road and find solutions which make it possible for everyone to share this consensus. I should not dwell at length on the issue of challenge inspections, since our views are well known and my predecessor, Ambassador von Stiilpnagel, on 8 March of this year already made a plenary statement devoted in its entirety to this subject. However, in view of recent developments, let me make a few specific additional observations. Owing to the limited coverage of routine verification and the risks of circumvention, we need an additional verification measure, with the help of which all States parties are able to clarify doubts about the compliance of others. If we were to restrict challenge inspections to what might be called "relevant" facilities, we not only create a definitional problem but also imply an overall reduction in the coverage of challenge inspections that 
**Analysis**
The text discusses a specific issue related to international relations and diplomacy, specifically the verification system and challenge inspections, which are crucial components of international agreements and treaties. The language used is formal and technical, indicating a focus on international governance and policy-making.

**Category**
International relations, Science and technology