Building on the very useful exchanges that took place during the fourteenth round, the delegations during the current round have intensified their work regarding bilateral co-operation in the field of destruction of chemical weapons. The goal of this co-operation is to facilitate safe and expeditious elimination of chemical weapons. For these discussions the delegations were reinforced by experts who are directly involved in the destruction programmes of the United States and the USSR. A number of special meetings devoted to destruction of chemical weapons took place. The experts exchanged detailed information on the programmes under way in each country, including the technology employed and the special difficulties that need to be dealt with. In view of their desire to accelerate the conclusion of a multilateral chemical weapons ban, the two delegations are also conducting discussions for that purpose. During the round, suggestions for refining definitions and the guidelines for schedule 1 were communicated to the Chairman of the appropriate Working Group. The two sides are also discussing ways to promote the universality of the multilateral convention. CD/PV.554 12 (Mr, Ledogar. United States ) The fifteenth bilateral round will conclude on 26 April. Dilaterai discussions on a chemical weapons ban will continue during the meeting of ministers scheduled for mid-May and at the summit meeting between President George Bush and President Mikhail Gorbachev. It is the jointly expressed hope of both countries that the new bilateral CW agreement can be signed at the summit meeting and that it will be possible to report further progress toward a global, comprehensive chemical weapons ban. Mr. ELARABY (Egypt): I would like to start by thanking the Ambassador of Canada for yielding the floor to me because I have to go to another meeting.
**Analysis**
The text discusses the destruction of chemical weapons, the facilitation of safe and expeditious elimination, and the promotion of a multilateral chemical weapons ban. This suggests that the topic is related to international security and disarmament, which is often linked to international relations and diplomacy.

**Category**
International relations, Science and technology