UN General Assembly
1989

We are pleased with the reports that progress has been made in the talks on an agreement to reduce arsenals of strategic offensive weapons by 50 per cent. It is becoming increasingly clear that restraint is required in order to achieve progress in disarmament. It is also becoming obvious that plans for the modernization, development and deployment of new systems and types of nuclear and space weapons need to be reassessed. I should like to stress once again that the halting of the arms race and especially of the nuclear arms race should become the concern and responsibility of all mankind. That is why we should not regard bilateral negotiations as an alternative to multilateral efforts in that field. The Charter of the United Nations encourages regional measures for strengthening peace and security. The discussion on the question of nuclear-weapon-free zones has been going on for quite some time. Bulgaria is working actively to that end. Together with other neighbouring States, it has put forward concrete initiatives concerning the implementation of that idea on the Balkan peninsula.