peace-loving Statesanumberoftreaties andagreements limiting thearmsracein majorareashavebeenconcluded. Thesearethe1963MoscowTreaty Banning Nuclear-Weapon TestsintheAtmosphere, inOuterSpaceandunderwater,the1968 TreatyontheNon-Proliferation ofNuclear Weapons, theTreatyontheLimitation of Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems andtheSALTIAgreement, signed in1972,andthe ---,'------------------AP/gmr A/40/PV.6 57 (Hr.Shevardnadze, USSR) 1979SALT11treaty. Allthesetreaties, whichhaveservedinlargemeasure to reinforce strategic stability, becamepossible becausepolitical realism wasalso displayed bythethenleadersoftheunite1statesandotherwestern countries. ItisnotthefaultoftheSovietunionthatlocalconflicts breakoutandare raginginvariousregionsoftheworld. Theonlythingthatwecouldbe"guilty" ofisthatwehaveinvariably beenandremainonthesideofthepeoples threatened byimperialism andoftheStatesuponwhosesO\Tereignty andgenerally recognized rightsimperialism iaencroaching. Asregards theincreasingly acuteeconomic problems coJmOOntoallmankind, the SovietUnionhasconsistently beeninfavourofuniting theefforts ofallStates andpeoples withaviewtofinding arational solution tothoseproblems. Thisis thethrustoftheproposals madebyourcountry, byallWarsawTreaty member countries, foradrastic reduction inthemilitary expenditures ofstates, and aboveallofthemajorPowers. TheseareallfactF.l,whichcannotbedisputed. Responsibility forthecurrentcritical stateofinternational relations rests withanother groupofcountries, namely, theUnitedStatesandsomeofitsclosest allies. Itwastheywho,intheearly1980s,wrecked thestructure ofnegotiations whichhadtakensuchanefforttobuild,negotiations whichhadshownsignsof progress towards agreements inmanyareasranging fromcomplete andgeneral prohibition ofnuclear-weapon teststothelimitation ofsalesandsupplies of conventional armaments, frombanning thedevelopnent ofanti-satellite systems to limiting military activities intheIndianOcean.Itwastheunitedstatesthat refused toratifytheSALTIItreatydesigned topavethewaytofurther, evermore substantial cutsinstrategic arms.ItwastheUnitedstatesthatin1983AP/gmr A/40/PV.6 58. (Mr.Shevardnadze, USSR) torpedoed theSOY'!et-united Statestalksonthelimitation ofnuclear armsin Europebyembarking onthedeployment ofitsnewnuclear missiles ontheEuropean continent. Andthenewmilitary programmes whichnowcovernotonlytheland,oceans and atmosphere ofourplanetbutalsoouterspaceareUnitedStates programmes too. Noparticular perspicacity isneededtoseeclearly thatprecisely those Statesthatareobstructing disarmament efforts arealsosetonfomenting local conflicts. Theybearresponsibility forthefailure thusfartocometogripswith problems connnontoallmankind. Allofthisisbeingsaidnotforthesakeofpolemics butinorderthatthe unitedNations may,onthebasisofrealfactsandthrough concerted efforts, deviseeffective waysofradically improving international relations and strengthening universal security. Whatarethesewaysasweseethem? Itissaidattimesthatallthatisneededisthatthetwosuper-Powers shouldstopcompeting witheachotherforinfluence intheworld. Thisproposition stemseitherfromignorance orfrommalicious intent. First,thesovietUnionhas nointention ofplacingitself aboveotherStates andpeoples, norisitseeking opportunities toorderthemaboutordictate itswilltothem.Secondly, the soviet Unionisnotinvolved inanycompetition whatsoever, whether formarkets, natural resources, control overseaorairroutes: orthepossession ofouterspace. Ontheotherhand,itisofcoursetruethattheSoyietUnionisoneofthe world's twolIDstpowerful nations. Butthewholepointiswhatpolitical aimsare servedbythatPower. Thosewhoinvoketheconcept ofthe"twosuper-Powers" would bewelladvisedtoponderonceinawhilewhatwouldhappentotheirindependence andwhatturnworlddevelopments wouldgenerally takeiftheUSSRwereweakerAP/9Jlr A/40/W.6 59-60 CMI'.sbevardnadze, USSR) thanitisandiftbeSoviet peoplewerenotinvesting 80_cboftheireffort, material resources andscientific encSeavour1n _intaining itseconOlllic and .Uitarypotential atanaciequate level. Indlscussio.,s aboutthewaysofimproving tbesituation frequent aention is alsomadeoftheneedtorestore, aboveall,coofidence allCftgStates. Tbis,itis said,wouldmakeitpossible toresolveallmajorprClble., including tboseof balting thearmsraceandaettling regional conflicts. Indeed, confidence isan important factorinovercoming tbecurrentdifficulties. Wefeel,howev@r, tbatit isimpossible toachieve anecessary andreliable degreeoftrustinrelations amongStatesunlessthecausesandthematerial rootsofdistrust areremoved.AMB/17 A/40/PV.6 61 (Hr.Shevardnadze, USSR)- Butworktorestor.e confidence mustbepursued, andthatiswhatweare doing. Inparticular, attheStockholm Conference ofStatespa.rticipating inthe Conference onSecurity andCo-operation inEurope~ theSoviet Unionisworki."lg for
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement by Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, discussing international relations, disarmament, and the role of the Soviet Union and the United States in global politics. The speech mentions various treaties and agreements, military expenditures, and the need for cooperation and confidence-building measures to improve international relations.

**Category**
International relations