51. The risks of a nuclear vtar by accident, miscalculation or an act of strategy have becone nore serious atue to the develotrments aluring the Period under review and have thereby firnly placed the centrality of tf'e nuclear threat at the forefront of the prlorlty itens in the disannament agenda. The dangers posed by the stocks of nuclear weapons anal the continuation of the arms race can be reroved only by outiawittg "-na h"Ltittg the Proaluction of such eeaPons and by proceeding to destroy then. The longer this process is ttelayed, the gravet are the risks of a nuclear holocaust. The L9?? report repeatedl'y stressed that the lack of Progress in halting the vertlcal protlr"t.iiott of nuclear weapons and the continuation of the nuclear arns race are factors nhich encourage the horizontal ProLiferatlon of such weapons.AsfarasfibstdeveloPedandseveraldevelopingcountriesafeconcerned, there are no Ionger any seriouj technologlcal or econonic barriers against initlating a nuclear neapons prograr E. T}re only barriers to horizontal proliferation are not pofiti"lft obligation' voluntarily as'rmled' the.good sense of covernnenCs and the exampte to be slt by the nuclear-weaPon Stahes in agreeing to reduce their own nuclear arsenaLs nith clear comniEnents for their eventual elinination. In this resPect, the Proceealings an'l the outc€ne of the second Review conference of the Parliee to the Treaty on the tibn-Prol lferation of Nuclear weapons' concluded in september I980r were a forceful rerninder to the nuclear-rreapon states of their lack of diligence in the pursuit of nuclear disarmanent. An overwhelming majority of the signatorles to that treaty inslsted that the nuclear-weapon states should agree to a package of arns linitation measures, incluating a declaration that they would abide by SALT II while awaitlng Its ratification and that they would impose on thenselves a noratoriun on nuclear tesLing and carry on the negotiations for a conprehensive test ban treaty
**Analysis**
The text appears to be discussing the risks and dangers of nuclear weapons and the importance of nuclear disarmament. It highlights the need to reduce the production and destruction of nuclear weapons, and to prevent the horizontal proliferation of such weapons. The text also mentions the lack of progress in halting the vertical proliferation of nuclear weapons and the continuation of the nuclear arms race. These themes suggest that the text is related to international security and disarmament, rather than economic or social development.

**Category**
Science and technology, International relations