nart.ies- Ar- the same tirF the C.)np.,rph('c Affirl0ed the commitrrent to continue negotiations for the prevention of an arms race in that zone ' \56. ltluclear-veapon testing has played a criticaf role in the continued development and refinernenl of nlrclear veaoons and their delivery systerns. This is evidenced by the fact that since 191+5 there have been more than 1'200 knoxn nuclear explosions, about 90 per cent of them by the supel'-Powers. During the 1t70s, the Disarnament Decade, a total of L19 nuclear explosions vere reported, of {hich the soviet union made 189. the United states 153, France 56, china 15, United Kingdom 5 and India 1. )J/ Tn consequence ' there have for many years been negotiations to r€ach a cornprehensive test ban. These efforts have, horever, been circumscribed by the desire of the nuclear-lreapon States to continue nucl-ear 1-.nc-f i-r'- ar. I Fret rlnderc"round. \5?, rn 1963 agreenent was reached on a partial test-ban Tres.ty betveen the United States, the United Kingdoru and the USSR' The Treaty gained the general suppol:t of the non-nuclear-lreapcn States but was opposed by two nuclear Powers, Frannp rnA f'hirq r.rhin]r .^ncJ-.rrrcrl it re heinrr ei",red Ft haltih,' Iheir efforts to i w sJ vvrr/b achieve qualitative parity in nuclear-wearon develop'nent with the tvo super-Povers. Atmospheric testing by France and China ther.efore has continued until Tecently, while the parties to the r,artial test-ban Treaty have conducted underground tests at an evcn more rapid oace than oefore -.he partia-l .- In 19T9 a1one, at least 52 nuclear tests were carried out. \58. nn important issue vhich the partial- test-ban Treaty did not address ' and uL ioh eecr,npd ei,:ni.i-snnc a"ner.ial tv ;rftFr the lndian nuclear test in vay 197L, was the question of vhether or not "peaceful nuclear erplosions" shoul-d also be